A conversation with the seashore superintendent
Friday 04 May 2012 at 4:17 pm.Cape Hatteras National Seashore Superintendent Mike Murray and some of his staff members met earlier this week with local reporters for a media roundtable discussion about park issues.
Murray regularly meets with reporters, usually several times a year, an arrangement that works well for park staff and for reporters.
This week’s meeting, like most of them, included a wide range of topics and questions – from permits to citations to new infrastructure that is needed to support the Park Service’s off-road vehicle plan and final rule.
Today’s blog includes highlights from the meeting.
ORV PERMITS
Paul Stevens, the seashore’s chief enforcement ranger, said that to date, the park has sold 4,359 permits – 3,217 annual permits and 1,142 weekly permits. Another 147 permits went to people with commercial fishing licenses, who do not have to pay for them.
Stevens said that, as of April 28, rangers had handed out six tickets to folks without a permit. They also issued 50 written warnings, and 109 verbal warnings.
“We aren’t taking a heavy-handed approach,” Stevens said. “In my opinion, we are getting good compliance.”
If a ranger finds an ORV on the beach without a permit, he or she explains the new program, tells the beachgoers where to get a permit, and asks them to leave the beach until they have purchased one.
If you are ticketed, the fine is $150 – plus the cost of getting the permit.
“I have a general impression that it’s going well,” Murray said.
Park Service public affairs specialist Cyndy Holda said most of her phone calls in the past few weeks have been from folks seeking information about the permit – rather than complaining about it.
Park officials also noted that the permit office was open extra hours for the Capital City 4-by-4 fishing tournament last weekend, and will also probably be open extra hours on Memorial Day. Summer hours have not been determined yet, but park staff will keep a close eye on the crowding situation as the summer season approaches. Long waits have not been a problem yet.
NEW INFRASTRUCTURE
The Park Service’s new ORV plan and final rules includes new infrastructure to accommodate the new ways in which visitors are getting to the ocean and soundside beaches. New ramps, parking areas, boardwalks, and interdunal roads are part of the plan.
Before it can build the new infrastructure, the Park Service needs to complete an Environmental Assessment.
On March 1, the Park Service asked for public comment on the infrastructure improvements that will be analyzed in the Environmental Assessment.
The public comment period closed on March 31. Assistant Seashore Superintendent Darrell Echols said that the park received 64 responses.
“About half were substantive,” Echols said, while they other half were from people who just wanted the plan “to go away.”
Echols said the schedule is to have a draft EA sometime in October, which will also be put out for public comment, and a final EA and Finding of No Significant Environmental Impact by the end of the year.
Meanwhile, Echols said, park contractors will work on site assessments over the summer when there is the most vegetation and park staff will begin work on designing the new infrastructure and on getting permits from such agencies as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The goal, park officials said, is to put the new facilities in areas that are “good locations and don’t have permitting challenges.”
Murray said that he hopes to see the high-priority facilities ready for the 2013 season, but the park has not yet begun prioritizing.
And, if park officials are worried about where the money is going to come from, they still are not saying so publicly.
They said again this week that the funding will not come in “one lump sum.” Instead, seashore managers will get the funds from a variety of sources, including the 80 percent of fee money from such things as lighthouse climbing and campgrounds that stays in the park, the sale of ORV permits, and merit grants.
“We’re in a good position to do well,” they say.
PARKING WOES ON HIGHWAY 12
Many island residents and visitors would say that additional parking at popular soundside areas for watersports are a high priority.
The arrival en masse of kiteboarders and windsurfers this month is a welcome sight for businesses and residents, but along with them has come a problem that wasn’t difficult to anticipate.
ORV permits are required for all vehicles on all beaches, including soundside beaches.
Many of the soundside beaches are very close to Highway 12, so rather than buy permits, many folks are choosing to park on the shoulder of the highway – which isn’t even much of a shoulder in some places – and hike with their gear to beaches.
This is especially a problem at Kite Point between Avon and Buxton, where there is no parking lot, and sometimes at the Sandy Bay turnout east of Hatteras village, where there is a parking lot.
On Saturday afternoon, April 21, more than 50 vehicles were parked on both sides of Highway 12 at Kite Point, and the next day there was crowding at Sandy Bay, where 63 vehicles were counted. They filled the parking lot and spilled out to Highway 12 shoulders.
Vehicles can also be seen parking on the highway at almost all the soundside access roads from Avon to Salvo.
The Park Service recognizes the public safety issues and says it is doing counts of vehicles in crowded areas and will get the information to the NC Department of Transportation, which would then decide if the speed limit should be lowered in some areas.
Park officials say that now that the final plan and rule are law, they cannot grant an exception to the permit requirement in some areas until more parking areas are built.
LIFEGUARDED BEACHES
The National Park Service will again provide lifeguards at the Coquina Beach Day Use Area, the Lighthouse Beach in Buxton, and the Ocracoke Day Use Area. In the past, lifeguards were on duty from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., seven days a week.
The lifeguards will begin duties on Saturday, May 26, and the park officials hope they will be able to provide lifeguards at all three beaches until Labor Day, Sept. 3. In the past, there have been some problems with college students having to return to campus earlier than Labor Day.
NESTING SEASON
Nesting season for shorebirds is in full swing.
As of today, according to park resource biologist Britta Muiznieks, there are five active piping plover nests – one at Bodie Island, three at Cape Point, and one on the South Point of Ocracoke. Two nests at Cape Point have been lost to unknown causes.
Muiznieks said that the two pair of plovers who lost nests will probably make another attempt. She also noted that, for reasons unknown, the plovers at Cape Point have nested lower on the beach this year, though she said renest attempts may be higher on the beach.
So far, 23 pairs of American oystercatchers have 16 active nests on the seashore, most on Hatteras Island. One nest has been lost.
There are currently no active colonial waterbird colonies, and no sea turtle nests on the seashore. Murray said that so far no turtle nests have been reported on the North Carolina coast, and that nesting in the seashore usually begins about mid-May.
The seashore issues a Resource Management Field Summary each Thursday during the nesting season. You can find current and past reports on the Beach Access and Park Issues Page – in the red box at the top of the page.
Other topics covered in the media roundtable with Murray and his staff will be covered in future blogs and articles.
60 comments
Dear United States of America and World-Wide Human Beings.
My family and I have been going to OBX since the 70’s. I bought a 4-W truck so I can drive at OBX. I plan to retire in Buxton, NC. I have been living in ENC since 1986. I am a member of OBPA and proud of it and what they stand for! Therefore I can speak factually and would be considered an expert in any court of law. This is not right! How can you charge a fee for something that’s been free for over a hundred years? There must be some law to protect us common people. 95% of the beaches on the east coast you can not drive on. This is one of few you can! Is this the new way to create jobs and hurt us common people of the USA? Maybe I’ll set a toll booth on my street and charge $50.00 each way. When people ask why the toll, I’ll tell them it’s for new jobs that we need. I beg you people this must stop. Were does it end. Why can’t I be happy and just drive on OBX without a fee?
Vinny Jacksonville, NC - 04-05-’12 21:20
Well lets see here. 3,217 annual x 120 = $386,040 + 1,142 weekly = 57,100. This = $443,140 all this in less than 90-days. Like I said there is something wrong here. There must be some law on the books that says this is not right. The FBI should look in to this. They may be our only hope. That’s a lot of money in a short amount of time.
Vinny Jacksonville, NC - 04-05-’12 22:05
To you Mr. Dennis. As you see in my comments. 95% of the beaches on the east coast you can not drive on. Please just stay on the 95% and keep your opinions to your-self. Thank you
Vinny Jacksonville, NC - 04-05-’12 22:11
Safety for the people… That’s what they said at the hearing. But they were talking about beach driving and not the HIGHWAY? Yea, I guess it was not figured that sometimes the “old way is the best way”
Vinny Jacksonville, NC - 04-05-’12 23:55
Dennis,
Participate in next yrs 4X. Data for this yr would be available then.
Buy a permit and experience it first hand.
Salvo Jimmy - 05-05-’12 05:09
This guy says it all. “About half were substantive,” Echols said, while the other half were from people who just wanted the plan “to go away.” This is a direct reflection of the poor attitude and lack of consideration of the minions and the leadership of the NPS. As much as “how dare anyone oppose our plan.” These people are incredible —- in the precise meaning of that word.
I look forward to the day when we can consider them “gone.”
Al Adam - 05-05-’12 08:34
@ Al, exactly, “half” the responses were ones they liked.
The problems on 12 were long anticipated and predicted. What will their reaction be when someone is killed? (at least it wasn’t a bird) My prediction is the parking lot at kite point will the first built, with money paid mostly for ocean side access. They know if they appease that group it’s likely they won’t participate in the fight for access.
They actually are saying they hope to have some ready for next year? Is that a joke? Are they aware of their own track record? And why weren’t all these assessments done as part of the rule? What happens when one of the axis powers objects/sues? This all gets back to the question I raised some time ago, how can you propose a rule you can’t execute? Isn’t the lack of the access infrastructure in the plan a failure to follow the plan? This is amazing.
They keep using the word “balance”, yet only half the plan (closures) is being executed. (probably more like 7/8th since that’s more the “balance” between closures in new access)
Denny in Dayton - 05-05-’12 11:51
Parking on highway 12 is not safe, period.
Think about it, on the beach you must reduce speed to 5 mph within 100 feet of a pedestrian. Now is 5 mph on highway 12 feasible?
Even at 5 mph, the ORV plan requires that vehicles be 20 feet apart and in single file. Here we have two lanes of parked cars and two lanes of traffic on a road with virtually no shoulders—that is, 4 lanes of vehicles on a road designed for 2 lanes with no space in between the parked vehicles. How is a driver to see the people between cars?
A permit exemption for kite point is not going to work. All this will do is attract more users with the overflow still parking on the side of the road. It will likely result in more vehicles parked along the side of the road.
The solution, why not implement the shuttle plan that was proposed for fisherman and is being investigated for Oregon Inlet?
As Murray said in the original plan, the infrastructure outlined in the plan is necessary to mitigate for plan impacts. It is an integral part of the plan and without it the plan implemented is not the plan vetted. The problem is when someone driving on the road slams on his brakes to avoid a pedestrian coming from between two cars causing a multiple car pile up, the park service will not be the entity to pay. It will probably be the drivers or NCDOT (that is taxpayers).
Who gets sued when someone gets killed or severly injured? There is enough public notice about the danger of this situation. This issue must be resolved and quickly.
G9inny - 05-05-’12 12:23
Dennis I heard a report on the tourney participation. I don’t recall where and I don’t intend to look it up.
That said, it was 300 and some compare to in excess of 600 in past years. That is 50% of usual.
Ginny - 05-05-’12 12:28
From the recap. All I have to say is what do you expect when you blacklist or, as per Murray’s instructions, ingor any and all inquiries deemed to be insulting or abusive? Me and many others have seen first hand that anything the least bit sarcastic or displaying any amount of dissatisfaction being interpreted as fitting the definition.
“I have a general impression that it’s going well,” Murray said.
Park Service public affairs specialist Cyndy Holda said most of her phone calls in the past few weeks have been from folks seeking information about the permit – rather than complaining about it.
Ginny - 05-05-’12 12:46
Dennis if you knew the answer why did you even ask the question. And I said 300 and some—373 is 300 and some. And now that you mention it, it was John Couch at the Coast 2 Coast and he said somewhere in the 600-700 range was the past participation.
You really are a trouble maker. As such, you can quit complaining about poor treatment as you are constantly asking for it.
Ginny - 05-05-’12 15:10
Dennis,
I have news for you. Regulations will be going away. It’s just matter of time. People like me will not give up! This my beach too! The government can not harm the people. In fact I’ll take this time to say before the people of USA and the world-wide web that I will protest this until the day I die! I will carry the flag! It says “restore beach access to the people and make it free” I have only one question that needs a answer. Who will pick up the flag if I fall…….
Vinny Jacksonville, NC - 05-05-’12 16:08
What I said about the 4X was in Couch’s testimomy at the HR4094 hearing.
Salvo Jimmy - 05-05-’12 16:50
There are ORV advocates that would and do throw monkey wrench into the local economy believing it will gain them support and ultimately increase their own personal beach driving milage. They cook numbers, cherry pick facts and create or repeat misinformation that they know is incorrect. Shame on them.
Anon1000 - 06-05-’12 07:25
Yep Dennis,
Ocracoke did well and I hope other tourneys do also.
We shall see.
BTW, no need to point me to the Ocracoke site. I visit it daily.
Salvo Jimmy - 06-05-’12 07:28
It will be interesting to see how many of the environmental findings for the “new infrastructure” will be in DIRECT CONFLICT with all the negative finding when the Rules were being implemented.
There should never have been parking on the side of SH12, and walking across the dunes is more destructive than all the activities people are trying to stop
Jack - 06-05-’12 07:37
Dennis, when has anyone said they want “no rules” as you seem to think is what we want? We want reason, common sense, and some consistency. The protocols used here are like none anywhere else. It’s fairly easy to see the buffer sizes were almost designed to close beaches. And why are we giving ESA protections to birds that aren’t ESA listed? To close more beaches of course.
We want reasonable rules that allow access. Your take is similar to one always put forward toward those of us who oppose all the new EPA rules “we must want dirty air, polluted water and sewage everywhere”. No we don’t we acknowledge we’ve made good strides and reasonable regulations have given us the cleanest environment in over a century, and as a result many species have rebounded.
We aren’t asking for ALL rules to be gone, we want THESE rules gone and no we don’t have to roll over and accept that which is WRONG!
Denny in Dayton - 06-05-’12 10:20
If the new plan is so effective why is PP productivity down this year ?
Bud Nelson - 06-05-’12 11:32
Dennis, the NCWRC has said when they list a bird as a “bird of interest” that’s all it means. They want more study done, they want to learn more about it, not give it ESA protections. The commission has said as much regarding the birds on Hatteras. I’ll have to locate the statement, perhaps Ginny has it on hand.
I don’t need to drive to my mothers house and get the book, the same information is available online.
http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/his..
“not mentioning the fact that Curtiss had found it necessary to make some 93 modifications to Langley’s design to make it airworthy. Nonetheless, the Smithsonian credited Langley with the historic achievement and ignored the rival Wright brothers all together. This decision rekindled a long-standing fued between the Wrights and Langley that had started during their compeition to build the first manned airplane in the 1890s. Orville Wright was so angered by the Smithsonian’s decision that he donated the Wright Flyer to the Science Museum in London,”
Some make it up, I look it up.
I’ve got a baseball game to go to, I’ll finish proving you wrong later.
Denny in Dayton - 06-05-’12 11:55
Bud Nelson said:
“If the new plan is so effective why is PP productivity down this year ?”
Good question Bud.
They’ve eliminated big bad ORVs, forced people to walk in the water, and killed all the predators. Why aren’t the PP doing good now? They probably are afraid of all the signs, strings, and NPS trucks….
Denny,
The NC imput you are looking for is in the state’s comments to the DEIS and are documented in the appendix to the FEIS.
Salvo Jimmy - 06-05-’12 15:35
Ocracoke only did well for their invitational tourney because the tourney was grandfathered in. They would not have if they had been held to the same standard as everyone else.
Bill - 06-05-’12 16:49
“There are ORV advocates that would and do throw monkey wrench into the local economy believing it will gain them support and ultimately increase their own personal beach driving milage. They cook numbers, cherry pick facts and create or repeat misinformation that they know is incorrect. Shame on them.
Anon1000 – 06-05-’12 07:25 “
I have heard this criticism directed at me so many times I have it memorized.
Hi, Croat
Ginny - 06-05-’12 19:14
I’m trying to post something but site keeps saying ‘timed out’ so just typing this to see if it gets thru?!
Carol Wallis - Avon NC - 06-05-’12 21:04
You people that keep arguing, please stop & take it elsewhere.
Yesterday & today I fished Ramp 30 and there are lots of SUV’s with NO paid-passes.
I did finally see a NPS Ranger visiting an SUV in the Vehicle Free Area (VFA) North of
Ramp 30 but he did not even venture south where you CAN drive & observe the people withOUT permits.
If I’d know you could get away with this, I’d sure have NOT bought a $120 permit!!
My guess is 4X organizers pleased as it was a little better than the 373 the Wed before the tourney, but still short of the fairly long wait lists of past years.
Salvo Jimmy - 07-05-’12 03:59
BTW Couch’s HR4094 testimony says the max number for 4X is 600 (not 500) and was down to 550 last year, so 425 – 450 is a further drop.
You can read it here
http://obpa-nc.org/Rule/4094-CHAPA%20-Testimony-Final-4-26-2012.pdf
Salvo Jimmy - 07-05-’12 05:41
With regards to the Wright Flyer going to London, here are the details:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wright_Flye..
Basically, the Smithsonian incorrectly stated that Langley’s Aerodrome was the first capable aircraft. Orville couldn’t persuade them of the facts, so he sent the plane to London. After the Smithsonian agreed to correct the facts, Orville agreed to have it brought back to the US.
Wesley - 07-05-’12 09:18
Ginny,
I’m not Anon1000. I’m sure there’s more than one person who can recognize the deceptive practices in use.
Since the “joke” about killing me was so well received on OBC as proper behavior, I’ve tried to avoid being drawn into these discussions. That doesn’t mean I’m not paying attention.
On the plover front, I’m hard pressed to try and figure out how Bud and Dave can make any claims the productivity – number of fledged chicks – is up or down. That can’t possibly be determined at the beginning of the nesting season.
There have been two nests partially predated and or abandoned (according to a tech on the beach last week). They couldn’t say if the nests were predated before or after they were abandoned and that early nests have been abandoned before, perhaps due to intraspecific competition as “late” pairs show up and try to establish territories and cause disturbances (their hypothesis).
And no one has claimed that if human disturbance is removed, natural processes. like predation and nests losses/abandonment will cease as well. Only that they should be reduced. It’s plainly evident that is the case at Cape Hatteras.
2 nests is not a very good return for all the economic and personal dislocation that has occurred. Is it true that plovers are all over the place at Carolina Beach? That you see more of them in the parking lots than on the beach? Maybe they like people. Do they nest at Cape Lookout National Seashore? Now there’s a nice quiet uninhabited 70 mile stretch of beach for them to hang out on. I wonder if anyone has tried to verify how they are doing down there.
I also get the idea that the Park Service does not want to hear anything negative. I don’t totally object to fees for driving on the beach; Cape Cod and Assateague have this and provided the money goes to help preserve the beach, pay for access services, etc., well, that’s life. However, there are some really stupid things they are doing that could be changed. The main one is the one year pass that’s not a one year pass. Have it be 12 months from date of purchase. I don’t understand this Dec. 31 stuff. It’s a real rip off for someone whose first visit is late summer or fall and who wants to return. The other thing is no weekend option. We were going to come down for a long weekend but now we are not because I am not going to pay a whole week for 3 or 4 days and then half the places I want to go are closed. I don’t object so much to paying as to paying for a year pass that’s not a year and then finding that all the places you want to go to are closed. The parking on 12 for the sound side kite boarding areas is a tragedy waiting to happen. I don’t think there are any reports of birds or turtles on the sound side, so why is a permit needed to drive there? Also, do you have to watch the video EVERY YEAR? Why can’t you watch it online and get your permit online? It just seems like someone has not totally thought this whole thing through. It just seems like they are making this much harder and more inefficient than necessary.
Marty - 07-05-’12 12:23
And no one has claimed that if human disturbance is removed, natural processes. like predation and nests losses/abandonment will cease as well. Only that they should be reduced. It’s plainly evident that is the case at Cape Hatteras.
Crotalus – 07-05-’12 10:51
:/
Sounds like a wash to me…. Reduced buffers equals less predation because of human proximity. Increased buffers equals increased predation because predator activity is not disuaded by human activity. Sounds like reduced buffers are the answer and a Win Win. Reasonable access can be restored and NPS can reduce the $$ spent on predation control.
Oh, and what’s plainly evident for Hatteras Island is that it is neither well suited to be a Plover breeding ground or a Plover wintering ground as it is at the fringes of each. Plainly evidenced by the numbers….
LongBoarder - 07-05-’12 15:33
Sounds like a wash to me…. Reduced buffers equals less predation because of human proximity. Increased buffers equals increased predation because predator activity is not disuaded by human activity. Sounds like reduced buffers are the answer and a Win Win. Reasonable access can be restored and NPS can reduce the $$ spent on predation control.
LongBoarder – 07-05-’12 15:33
Human activities attract predators, especially avian which results in increased predation (also facilitated by disturbance) so your statement makes no sense. You’ve never looked inside the closure at Cape Point and noticed just a few gulls when there used to be hundreds around the fishermen?
And then there are the mammalian predators attracted to the picnic leftovers and bait/offal left on the beach.
Oh, and what’s plainly evident for Hatteras Island is that it is neither well suited to be a Plover breeding ground or a Plover wintering ground as it is at the fringes of each. Plainly evidenced by the numbers….
LongBoarder – 07-05-’12 15:33
No, you’re trying to judge a recovering population, versus an established, healthy population. Lookout, at the very “fringe” has about 40 pair of plover, so by your reasoning, Hatteras should have 60 or 80.
And there’s no evidence the plover which over-winter do not survive, so I don’t get your statement that it’s not well-suited for migration stop-overs or over-wntering.
Of course, we all know it’s not about the birds. It’s about power and control and showing us poor little serfs who is really boss in this national supposed recreational seashore that is supposed to belong to us taxpayers. I just want to see them try to justify all this farrago of nonsense over 2 freakin bird nests.
Marty - 08-05-’12 10:28
—————————————————————-
This is NOT about birds.
Hawk Hawkins – 08-05-’12 08:43
—————————————————————-
Maybe in the beginning but definately not anymore. All common sense has thrown out. There are so many things that could be done that have proven and been documented to encourage species population growth. Those thoughts are not even entertained here.
—————————————————————
so I don’t get your statement that it’s not well-suited for migration stop-overs or over-wntering.
Crotalus – 07-05-’12 22:02
—————————————————————
Its not that hard….It’s because it isnt well suited. There is not the quantity/quality of ideal habitat on Hatteras island for these birds. It comes and it goes. We have been in the “going away” stage for the last 10-15 years. Ideal breeding sites are long gone. Mostly taken away by nature and partly by resource protection measures that have allowed vegitation growth to occur.
You mention CALO. Shall we compare ideal habitat areas between the two locations? Guess what! CALO has bigger numbers because there is more suitable habitat there. CALOs ideal habitat can be measured in Sq miles. You would be hard pressed to say that for CAHA.
So, it really is that simple. The fringes of the breeding ground combined with poor habitat quality means that CAHA is not well suited for breeding plovers. All the buffer distances and predator controls will not significantly help without more habitat to encourage breeding and nesting.
Since you seem to know so much. Tell me—Based on the total area of ideal nesting habitat that CALO offers how many breeding pairs could be expected if CALOs geographic location was right in the middle of the breeding grounds? Compare that number to to the ~38 and it speaks for itself.
LongBoarder - 08-05-’12 11:40
—————————————————-
Human activities attract predators, especially avian which results in increased predation (also facilitated by disturbance) so your statement makes no sense. You’ve never looked inside the closure at Cape Point and noticed just a few gulls when there used to be hundreds around the fishermen?
And then there are the mammalian predators attracted to the picnic leftovers and bait/offal left on the beach.
Crotalus – 07-05-’12 22:02
—————————————————————
Funny…. Studies I have seen either propose that human activity in proximity of prey species actually positively alters predator usage of those areas or come to a finding of no dicernable effect either way.
Care to back up your assertation up with a study. I would be interested in reading a study about human / predator activity stating the contrary.
LongBoarder - 08-05-’12 12:08
And to further Longboarder’s fringe argument on breeding, CHNSRA is also on the Northern fringe of the plover wintering habitat.
Thus having designated wintering critical habitat here defies common sense and even “best available” science
Salvo Jimmy - 08-05-’12 16:10
Longboarder, What you have said about Plovers and people is backed up by what i’ve read. I would like to see the DOI look at a bigger picture . The ecology of an area should be looked at as a whole; Pea Island, dredge islands, roof tops (yes, it’s true) etc..
I believe Mr. Murray is getting direction from above. I would like to see more common sense used within the existing rules.
SJ & Zunikev,
What you two just said goes right to the heart of the matter.
Destroying a National Recreational Area for the sake of a few pairs of birds that get their internal GPS screwed up each year makes no sense at all and defies all logic and common sense. Anyone who says that 3 data points each year provides “good science” just doesn’t understand statistical analysis.
That was a TEST…
Seems like they should find people who actually passed some of the courses they took in college to become scientist. Dennis did you pass any…
Then maybe the “Best Available Science” will show them that a 50%mortality rate on chicks is not exactly stellar.
Sam Kinison Said it best when referring to children starving in the desert…“Get them moving trucks not food!!!!”
samsdad1 - 09-05-’12 07:43
Could we hear some more problems with hydro-foil ferries. They run them everyday to New York from the Highlands. They are comfortable and while expensive, they cost less to run. They run on top of the water so there is no problem with overwash or underwash . Also, we can expect problems between Hatteras and Ocracoke. As we know (I’m sure) when the white folks arrived, Hatteras and Ocracoke were Ocracoke – a long island. So, everytime we have bad weather, the water is trying to fill the gap between Hatteras and Ocracoke with sand, and the
Lynne - 13-05-’12 14:40
Hi all
My name is Anna Sanders and I’m a reporter with Audubon. I’m working on a story about Cape Hatteras right now and would love to hear everyone’s insight into the National Park Service’s ruling, Rep. Jones’ bill, the Burr-Hagan bill, or the Cape Hatteras Access Preservation Alliance’s civil suit against the DOI, NPS, and others. Please send me an email if you would like to comment on Cape Hatteras and ORV use, whether or not you support unregulated ORVs on the shore. If you email me and would like to speak over the phone instead, I can give you a call. Please email anything—frustrations, rants, commentary—to asanders[at]audubon.org (with @ replacing [at]).
Thanks,
Anna Sanders
Anna Sanders (URL) - 15-05-’12 12:27
@Anna Saunders-Once again enviro groups spread false information. There never has been “unregulated” ORV use at CHNSRA, therefore it should not even be mentioned…
Kris Shelton - 15-05-’12 12:54
Anna, I have been visiting Hatteras and traversing the beaches via foot and vehicle since the mid 1980s. In that time period, numerous regulations for operating vehicles on the beach, and closures for wildlife have existed.
What exactly do you mean when you use the phrase “unregulated ORVs on the shore”?
Are you referring to improperly licensed and tagged vehicles?
Or, are you suggesting that regulations for operating vehicles on the beach have not existed until recently? Did someone misinform you?
Thank you in advance for any clarification you can provide!
Dave Vachet - 15-05-’12 14:59
Possibly, “unregulated” means no user fee. As you can see now, we are “regulated”
SandVan - 16-05-’12 10:12
Hi all
Just to clarify—I meant “unregulated” in the sense that the interim plan that was in place was only a draft and not finalized. Before the final ruling, there were regulations, per say, but not final ones.
I understand this is a very contentious issue, but I am trying to represent all sides. Please email me at asanders [at] audubon [dot] org with comments, or reply here.
Thanks again
Anna
Anna Sanders (URL) - 16-05-’12 12:09
Anna – I think there 2 possible drawbacks .
1. If you submit a well-written objective article any editor can make it say what he wants.
2. With a lawsuit currently in progress, I (personally at least) am not sure any responses would be appropriate.
Much Like the Italian Ferry boat Captain over the Winter, looks to me that Murray has “FALLEN” into the Life boat.. This will also allow the “NEW” guy to say “I ahd Nothing to do with the Plan” Well Murray fooled allot of Folks including my EX-Boss, but he did not Fool Me.. I wonder if anyone is going to be accomadating and Nice to the next suppa, I know I won’t..
JAM on it..
“Dennis the Menace” You just do not get it. Please go to OPBA . org. and read all about it.
Vinny Jacksonville, NC - 24-05-’12 22:21
I grew up on the Outer Banks and have been driving on the beach for a long time. I have watched the Park Service slowly but surely shrink the driving areas on all the south beaches. “for birds” One thing to always remember is life will figure itself out if you leave it alone. If a bird nest in an area where people drive and its nest gets destroyed, then it will not rebuild its nest there. Unlike a lot of people (especially govt employees) animals do posess some common sense. Now, my personal opinion is throw the Park Service off the beach altogether.
fishingbum - 04-06-’12 23:58
Same ol’ BS as always
Ken Yount - 04-05-’12 19:12