How We Got Here by Mike Smith As previously mentioned, back in the late 1960’s, the development of Ocean Reef Club was envisioned by Harper Sibley to be in four phases. Phase I was the Harbor Course area, Phase II was the development of what is now the Fisherman’s Cove area and Phase IV was the Snapper Point single family area. View of the Sunrise Cay Bridge during construction, 1976. Phase III was all about the development of multi-family housing in an area of scrub land then called Angelfish Key and now called Sunrise Cay. The original county and state approved plan permitted construction of 650 housing units plus a long bridge to permit access. The bridge would extend nearly one half mile and span Pumpkin Creek, Little Pumpkin Creek and dense mangroves. The bridge was to be built above the level of the mangroves and had to provide thirty feet of clearance over Pumpkin Creek to allow for boat traffic underneath. The permit also stipulated that encroachment into the mangroves could not exceed 18 inches from each side of the bridge. Many thought this requirement would be impossible to meet which may have been why the permit was originally … Continue reading How We Got Here pt. 6