Erosion takes what's left of some Bay Area beaches

ANNA MARIA ISLAND (FOX 13) - As waves crashed, a crowd gathered at Coquina Beach. The surf pushed its way right up to the beach walkway. 

"I've never seen anything like this before. This is my first time," said Pat Mucciaccio. 

Anna Maria Island experienced high surf and minor flooding. Many felt lucky as their thoughts turned to the Panhandle. 

On Lido Beach in Sarasota, it was a more disappointing sight. Waves engulfed what little beach remains. 

"This is actually the worst I've seen it," said Greg Kalish. 

Kalish watched as trap bags filled with sand disappeared. The city put them there before hurricane season to try and save the stretch of beach from further erosion. 

"This beach has been losing beach for quite a while and losing sand. I think this is going to really hit it the hardest," said Kalish. 

A lifeguard stand nearly fell into the water. A $3.6 million emergency renourishment is planned for the middle of November, once hurricane season passes. 

City Manager Tom Barwin said more is needed. 

"We are very concerned. This is some of the largest waves we have ever seen," said Barwin. 

A long-term fix with additional renourishment has been funded and approved, but a lawsuit over where the sand is coming from has held it up in court. 

Meanwhile, he worries that if a major fix isn't done, Lido Beach could be in serious trouble. 

"Those sandbags were pretty much wiped out last night our first level of protection. We are going to be right back at it as soon as this settles down and reinstall the protection," said Barwin.