The federal government shutdown is in its 11th day and heading into a second weekend of national park closures.
Here at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, all of the park facilities, lighthouses, parking areas, and beaches are closed to the public.
So far, the islands and its visitors have been weathering the storm ? some better than others.
Visitors are frustrated and disgusted at the shutdown, but seem to be willing to make the best of their vacations. This week their frustration was caused as much by the weather gods as it was by the U.S. Congress.
While last week was sunny with blue skies and light winds, this week has been stormy with two days of high winds and torrential rain, followed by two gloomy, gray days.
We are fortunate at Cape Hatteras that there is no chained entrance to the park and that a skeleton staff of law enforcement rangers are not enforcing ? maybe because they can?t ? the edict from NPS headquarters to ticket even pedestrians on the beach.
Our park staff is drawing the line at driving ORVs past barricades or chained ramps onto the beach. Those who want to go to the beach to walk, fish, surf, kiteboard, or just hang out are parking in the ?closed? parking lots and walking over to the beach.
The folks who are most hurt in this shutdown are anglers and the businesses that cater to them.
At the height of the fall fishing season, fishermen cannot load up their trucks with gear and head to the beach in search of just the right fishing hole.
Some anglers are walking over to the beach, but it?s limiting their mobility, their equipment, and the access to the best fishing areas.
Avon Pier and the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center are park concessions and have been forced to close down. They are taking the brunt of the economic losses.
We are heading into a holiday weekend ? Columbus Day, which is typically busy on the islands since it is a federal holiday and many federal workers in southeast Virginia head to the Outer Banks to fish or relax.
Since many federal workers are not being paid and the beaches are shut down, it?s anyone?s guess how many visitors will head to our area.
The point is that visitors have been understanding and businesses are hanging on, but this can go on for only so long before the visitors get cranky and the losses for business become crippling.
Many more of the communities near the 400 or so national parks are feeling the squeeze also, and the governors of some of those states are pushing the Park Service to let the states fund the national parks.
Yesterday, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said she ?would consider agreements with governors? so that the parks can reopen to visitors.
Details were said to be ?sketchy? and conversations were just beginning on the issue.
Yeah, I bet.
Given the speed at which the Interior bureaucracy does anything ? slow as molasses ? the idea that the Interior Department and the governors could hammer out an agreement on this in any kind of a timely fashion is total fantasy.
Frankly, I think it?s likely that Congress will come up with some lame solution to the predicament more quickly.
And, to anyone who is counting on the state of North Carolina to rush in with a bag of money to open the parks, I say think again.
North Carolina legislators have just finished slashing and burning their way through the state budget. To think there is enough money out there somewhere and quickly available to run the state?s national parks is but a pipedream.
There has a been a flurry of activity and talk in Washington in the last couple days about reaching agreements on opening the government and lifting the debt ceiling.
Although politicians says they never pay any attention to the polling numbers, maybe it has gotten the attention of Congress that its approval rating has fallen to a historic low of 5 percent.
WANT TO MAKE A BET?
Anyone want to bet that Southern Environmental Law Center is busy at work on another lawsuit to try to stop the Bonner Bridge Replacement project?
Now that a record of decision has been issued on the permanent replacement of the Pea Island Inlet bridge, SELC, on behalf of its clients, can sue to stop that too.
Given their aggressive record on this issue in the courts, I?d say another lawsuit is very likely.
(Editor?s note: I promise I will get back to the environmental groups and their 990s. Next up is the National Park Conservation Association. Maybe next week.)
