Florida woman almost consumed by large, gurgling hole on local beach

A large, bubbling hole on a Florida beach has some parents and residents concerned. Last week, crowds gathered at Juno Beach for the Loggerhead Marinelife Center’s turtle release, but the main spotlight of the event was arguably an ominous beach hole.

WPBF-TV reported that hundreds of people, including families with small children, came out to Juno Beach to watch the turtle release. The excitement of a day at the beach turned to fear for some parents when they stumbled upon a gurgling hole near the water that appeared to be sucking seaweed and shells underground.

"I stuck my leg in, and without any pressure or any resistance from the sand beneath, the water and sand instantly sucked me in, up to the very top of my hip. I was able to pull back out, but I could feel the suction from beneath, both my kids were scared to death," mother Jodi Jaroschak told the station.

Thanks to a narrowing shoreline, the longstanding Loggerhead Marinelife Center drainpipe now empties into wet sand rather than dry sand, resulting in a downward suction, and a suck hole.
"It is part of the turtle tank filtration system from Loggerhead Marinelife Center that is permitted and their responsibility to maintain,” said representatives with Palm Beach County to the station. “Palm Beach County lifeguards keep an eye on it and when there presents a safety need, inform Loggerhead Marinelife Center and sand may be added."

While locals told WPBF-TV they knew to avoid the hole, visitors to the area were alarmed at the lack of warning markers around the potential hazard.

In the wake of these complaints, Amanda Moore, senior manager of Integrated Marketing and Partnerships for the marine center, told weather.com that additional markings have been added to the area in an email.

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