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Short answer: Reef Arches are honeycomb-shaped concrete breakwater units used in living-shoreline projects. At Coconut Point on the south side of Sebastian Inlet State Park, 22 arches were placed on September 10, 2026, along about 200 feet of eroded Indian River Lagoon shoreline. Dockside Builders' crew and crane barge helped set the arches alongside Reef Arches LLC. ORCA is monitoring the site with volunteer citizen scientists and a Chronolog station lets the public watch the shoreline change over time.
What are Reef Arches?
The units at Coconut Point weigh about 1,200 lb each, according to project partners. Water can move through the honeycomb form while the structure takes energy out of waves.
In a living shoreline, the arches usually sit just off the bank and pair with native plants such as red mangroves. The goal is coastal resilience without a solid seawall: quieter water, room for sediment to settle and hard surfaces where oysters and other organisms can attach.
What happened at Coconut Point near Sebastian Inlet?
According to the Sebastian Inlet District, Reef Arches LLC installed 22 reef arch structures on September 10, 2026, along roughly 200 feet of eroded shoreline at Coconut Point, a finger of land on the south side of Sebastian Inlet State Park. Up to 90 mangroves are planned for the site.
Partners on the project include the District, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Ocean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA) and Sebastian Inlet State Park. Funding includes a $95,000 state cost-share grant, with in-kind support from the District, Reef Arches and MANG.
What was Dockside Builders' role?
A short recap is also on our Reef Arches at Coconut Point customer story. For how this kind of living shoreline compares with a seawall, see wood, vinyl, concrete or stacked rock seawalls. Dockside Builders' crew and crane barge helped set the arches alongside Reef Arches LLC, working in shallow water inside a turbidity curtain that helps contain stirred-up sediment. Since 1980, Dockside has built and repaired marine structures across Florida's Space and Treasure Coasts; this shoreline work sits beside that same waterfront craft.
Next up, we will support a Reef Arch installation in the Florida Keys. That future work is separate from the Coconut Point site on the Indian River Lagoon; details of any Keys project should come from the project owners when they are public.
Who is ORCA, and how can people help?
The Ocean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA) is a Vero Beach-based nonprofit focused on protecting and restoring aquatic ecosystems, including work in the Indian River Lagoon. ORCA's trained volunteer citizen scientists are expected to monitor Coconut Point for at least three years, looking at measures such as seagrass, biodiversity, shoreline change and oyster recruitment.
If you want to support ORCA's conservation work, you can donate to ORCA. Dockside Builders partners with community and conservation groups on the Treasure and Space Coasts; a donation to ORCA does not mean Dockside is affiliated with ORCA's governance or fundraising.
Watch the Coconut Point shoreline change
ORCA set up a Chronolog photo station (ORC103) at Coconut Point. Visitors align a phone in the bracket, take a photo and contribute to a shared time-lapse of the living shoreline:
Open the Coconut Point Chronolog on chronolog.io if the embed does not load.
For a broader view of the inlet, the Sebastian Inlet District also runs the Sebastian Inlet webcam. Check date and time stamps; conditions change quickly.
Watch the installation
ORCA's video shows the Coconut Point living shoreline and Reef Arches installation, including Dockside Builders' crew at work:
Frequently asked questions
What are Reef Arches used for?
They are modular concrete breakwater units used to reduce wave energy, support living-shoreline plantings and create hard surfaces for marine growth. They are not a substitute for every seawall or dock repair; a marine contractor should match the tool to the site.
Where were the arches installed near Sebastian Inlet?
At Coconut Point, on the south side of Sebastian Inlet State Park along the Indian River Lagoon. Twenty-two arches went in on September 10, 2026, along about 200 feet of eroded shoreline, with up to 90 mangroves planned.
How can I follow the Coconut Point project?
Use ORCA's Chronolog station embed above (ORC103), donate or volunteer through teamorca.org when programs are open and review updates from the Sebastian Inlet District and ORCA. The installation video on YouTube also shows how the arches were set.
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Planning a seawall, dock or shoreline project on the Treasure or Space Coast? Call 772-664-6798, contact us or request a free estimate. You can also browse our marine construction services.
Our partners: Dockside Builders works alongside community, conservation and industry partners on Florida's Treasure and Space Coasts. Meet our partners.
