The message today on pedestrian access to Cape Point by wading in the water around resource closure is, ?Yes, you can.?
Yesterday, I wrote that the National Park Service would no longer allow pedestrians to wade in the water below the mean low tide line to reach the three-tenths of a mile of beach still open at Cape Point.
That was after a two-tenths of a mile closure was expanded to four-tenths of a mile.
I also wrote that the announcement would come in today?s beach access report from the Park Service.
Here is what was in today?s beach access report on this issue:
?On April 19, 2009: The full beach closure (RESOURCE protection area) located 0.2 of a mile south of Ramp 44 was modified (extended) 300 meters to the south for observed AMOY breeding behavior. This closure is now 0.4 of a mile in length and there is no ORV or pedestrian access within the resource protection area.?
This is not what I was told yesterday. Of course, pedestrians and vehicles are not allowed in resource protection areas.
And, also, the Park Service apparently figured out that they cannot prohibit people from getting to the open area at Cape Point if they walk below the mean low tide line, which is out of park jurisdiction.
Today, Cyndy Holda, assistant to the park superintendent and community liaison said, ?We do not recommend this.?
Frankly, I wouldn?t recommend it either — unless you are young and strong and really know what you are doing and know where the mean low tide line is.
But if you want to do it, you can. Just don?t step into the resource closure for any reason.
And, by the way, access to Cape Point, is still open to people who can get there by boat, kayak, surf board or any other means over the open waters.
This unnecessary closure is a disaster waiting to happen. Some citizens wanting access to the Point will likely take the risk. A well-managed pedestrian walkway through the closure would not disturb bird life. Instead of approaching the federal judge with a request for reasonable and responsible public safety based modification to the poorly designed consent decree, the National Park Service has knowingly created a hazard of the highest order. Simply warning access loving citizens won’t cut it! The actions of the federal government in this case are the height of irresponsibility.
I imagine that they figured out that they had no legal ground to stand on since they absolutely do not control past the mean low tide line and there is no justification for closing the point completely (yet.)
It will be a tragic day when someone drowns, when a small footpath at the water?s edge could have prevented such.
Please Take A Number
It seems that there are unique opportunities available to select members of the public to enjoy what used to be the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area. The original idea was that the public, who were experiencing hard economic times, would have access to the beaches without having to own waterfront property.
The Islanders were encouraged to turn over land so that they could prosper from the tourism-based economy that the recreational area would create.
The public loved the experience and the villagers prospered.
In 1972 the President told the NPS to have a formal plan, if they allowed ORV access in the recreational area. The order did not ban ORV access, just said you need a plan.
By 1978 the local NPS management had met the legal requirements of the presidential order. The plan was sent to regional headquarters in Atlanta, never to be seen again. It was not published in the Federal Register and ceased to exist as far as the NPS was concerned.
So 37 years pass, with the public enjoying the recreational area, the villagers prospering and the NPS ignoring the presidential order. Superintendents came and went. Some had single issues that they were sent to deal with, the lighthouse got moved and the First Flight Centennial was celebrated, but none dealt with the presidential order.
Then the hammer drops. Environmental groups don’t like the NPS Interim Management Plan, which finally tried to close the 37-year-old gap and sue to shut down all ORV access to the Recreational Seashore.
The alphabet of our government, DOI, NPS and DOJ get caught with their pants down in front of an unfriendly federal judge, who makes it quite clear that he is willing to shut it all down. The public is allowed to join the negotiations but it was a silver or lead choice. The alphabet had already decided to capitulate and turn over the management of the recreational area to the judge and environmental groups. The alphabet did show some spine in one redacted document, you know those, you get a copy of the document, with all the juicy parts blacked out. It said that the alphabet could not agree to the initial demands because it would virtually shut down the whole seashore.
So now we have the Consent Decree, which will rule the recreational area until spring of 2011, when the final transformation of what was the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area becomes an extension of the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge.
The following is an excerpt from an interview with Cynda Holda published in the Island Free Press. April 17th 2009.
Cynda Holda, assistant to the superintendent and community liaison, said that getting to deserted areas is a “prime opportunity” and a “different experience” for park visitors who want to fish, watch birds, or hunt for seashells.
She did it herself last weekend by hiking behind a full-beach closure at Bodie Island spit to reach an area still open but inaccessible without a hike behind the dunes. She wore boots, waded through some water, and thoroughly enjoyed a peaceful interlude on a quiet beach.
“It’s not for everyone, but it is an experience,” she said.
She does warn that a steady parade of hikers might disturb the birds and might be reason for expanding the closure.
Welcome to what has become of the recreational area. A NPS official describes a wonderful experience on public land and then cautions that if the public actually tries to duplicate the experience, the NPS may have to close the area.
During RegNeg I heard opinions that pedestrians were at risk of being run over by ORV’s because they could not hear them over the noise of the surf. How does that fit in with a quiet beach? Is the NPS definition of quiet, the lack of vehicle noise?
It is a perfect Catch 22. The noise of the vehicle cannot be heard, but the noise of the vehicle is the reason why they cannot be allowed access. Joseph Heller would have a field day with what’s going on down here.
So take a number folks, and maybe you will be lucky enough to actually have access to what was Americas 1st National Seashore Recreational Area. But if you can’t wade thru knee high surf or hike over sand dunes don’t bother. You are not among the chosen few.
?Welcome to what has become of the recreational area. A NPS official describes a wonderful experience on public land and then cautions that if the public actually tries to duplicate the experience, the NPS may have to close the area.?
John, You have encapsulated the complete insanity and detached thinking of our government officials in the above single comment. Perhaps they should get their next paycheck from the American Oystercatchers instead of the American taxpayers.
Thank you for your accurate and concise summary.
-All human pedestrian visitors to the beach must be on a leash. The leash must be no longer than six feet. If you want to approach a bird resource enclosure do so very carefully and be sure not to speak. Slowly and quietly approach with your eyes down and your head bowed. And never turn your back on the birds as this is considered an insult. Do not look at the birds directly and do not loiter there, as this may upset the birds. Just place your tax offerings on the provided alters and then back away very slowly, again with eyes down and head bowed. ?
Hmmmm…..did I dream that last night or is it for real? With so many bazaar new rules coming out each week, it is hard for me to tell.
Sorry, make that ?altar? not alter
I visited Ocracoke and I don?t understand what the problem is. Hardly any of the beaches are closed. I did not have time to explore all the open beaches! I drove for miles and walked for miles. Come to Ocracoke if you want a full beach experience!
First They Make You Afraid
It starts with a group of people who share a common cause. They want everyone to feel and think the way they do, but there are a lot of different views.
How do you get the other views to agree with you?
The simple and direct way is to make them afraid of something. You might not know anything about the subject, but fear is a primal instinct.
It’s a tool widely used in human history.