The beaches on Estero Island are getting a makeover.

Beach re-nourishment crews are starting the third phase... behind the Pink Shell resort.

Using pipes, contractors will pump a total of 420,000 cubic yards of sand from the sea floor back onto the beach..

"They've done about 102,000 cubic yards for right now. They're moving south and are going to expand the beach an average of 236 feet," said environmental specialist Justin McBride.

Contractors are literally re-creating the beach one section at a time.

"It's not only extending out, but its extending up. So when they get enough sand there, the dozers and the tractor move the sand around to get to the correct grade of the beach," McBride continued.

Weather and equipment malfunctions have caused the project to move slower than expected.

The dredge that pumps the sand back to shore had to be taken out of the water over the weekend and replaced.

"They weren't getting the production they thought so they made some modifications to the cutter head to try to get more sand through there. It appears to have worked," McBride explained.

kevin faircloth owns a business on the water and says as the beach has disappeared, it's taken tourists with it.

"I think people that have been here in the last year or so have seen how much the beach has deteriorated and probably wouldn't come back because of it," Faircloth said.

He says once the project is complete, he looks forward to the added beach bringing extra storm protection and extra room to bring in the tourists.

"More beach, the more people that are going to come to the beach, the more people that come to the beach the more that will spend money here," he continued.

When this project is complete the beach will be widened all the way down to the pier. Environmentalists tell WINK News that it should be able to withstand erosion for up to ten years.