Fewer than 10 miles of beach on Hatteras Island are now open to off-road vehicles.
That?s fewer than 10 miles on the island?s more than 50 miles of shoreline.
And much of the beach that is closed to ORVs is also closed to pedestrians.
These are resource closures ? areas that are closed to protect nesting shorebirds and colonial waterbirds.
The northern end of Hatteras ? about 13 or so miles ? is part of the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge and is off limits to ORVs all year.
The beaches in front of the villages are closed to ORVs as part of the usual summer safety closures to protect pedestrians.
Ramp 23 south of Salvo was closed yesterday for breeding least terns. The next ramp is 27, and it is closed to traffic to the north and open for a bit to the south.
There is some beach still open at Ramp 30, but Ramp 34 has been closed for some time because of breeding American oystercatchers.
A few miles of beach are open at Ramp 38 south of Avon. The next ramp, 43, near Cape Point is a cul-de-sac with barely room to turn around.
Ramp 44 to Cape Point was closed (for the second time this season) on Saturday for a piping plover nest that either has hatched or is about to hatch.
A few miles are open to vehicles at Ramp 49 in Frisco and Ramp 55 at Hatteras Inlet.
And that is about it.
Many of these areas are also closed to pedestrians.
The only closure for a federally threatened species is at Ramp 44 for the plover chicks. Under the consent decree, plover chicks on the ground get a closure about the size of three aircraft carriers in all directions.
The other resource closures are for such birds as least terns and American oystercatchers, which are not federally protected and are listed only as ?species of concern? by the state of North Carolina.
So, yes, you can still drive on the beach if you visit Hatteras Island this summer ? about 9.2 miles of it, according to the calculation by Frank Folb of Frank and Fran?s tackle shop in Avon.
However, it?s only the first week of June, and the resource protection has closed more beach and more ramps than this time last year.
The resource closure at South Point on Ocracoke was also expanded at the end of the Memorial Day weekend.
This is not a good omen for visitors to the seashore this summer or for the economy on Hatteras and Ocracoke.
The birds are being well cared for under the auspices of a court-ordered consent decree that settled a lawsuit by environmental groups.
But what about the people?
Who is speaking for the people who are being denied access to public lands? Who is speaking for the islanders whose businesses are taking a beating with all the closures?
Is all this really necessary to protect birds, most of which are not endangered or threatened?
And why can?t the Park Service protect the birds and still provide an ORV and/or pedestrian route behind the closures?
That?s the way it used to be before the environmental activists got involved.
Wow! We are going to drive 1200 miles for this hassle? It?s funny, when we were there on our honeymoon 10 years ago we didn?t even know you could drive one the beach. Maybe we were somewhere that it was banned? I thought we parked and walked from the old Lighthouse area. We won?t be coming in a ORV but I sure hope we can find somewhere to park and drag ourselves and our pups to the beach!
We just came back from our Memorial Day week long vacation and it was frustrating. Better than last year though. We miss visiting Cape Point. It is absolutly crazy to keep ORV?s from driving on the best beaches. There are more than enough beaches for the birds to nest on that we can?t drive on, Pea Island has over 25 miles of empty sandy beaches where the birds can nest. The whole bird population won?t cease to exist because they choose to nest at Cape Point, Oregon Inlet or the Inlet between Ocracoke and Hatteras. Leave these spots for families, fishermen and shell seekers. Besides there are man made islands where the birds have been thriving. These closures have to stop! We spend a lot of money down there on vacation and it?s a shame not to go there and do the things with our family that we love, like swimming in South Beach, looking for conch shells and fishing with grandpa at Cape Point. We have even been run out of the Salvo Day use area by the Kite Boarders because they take up the whole beach ? now where is a family to go?
Well, that?s it for us. I?ve held off booking a cottage hoping for some sign of sanity in this whole mess. I usually book in January. Guess we?ll be heading for SC, Georgia or Florida. Can?t drive on the beaches there either, but at least we won?t have to wonder whether we can even go on the beach from day to day. Honestly, we?d like to come down just to make a statement and support the local economy, but I only get one of these trips a year and I?m not rich enough to spend that kind of money for a week of frustration.
We?re going to go and make the best of it! It can?t be as bad as Edisto was last August at 105 degrees! I fished from dawn past dusk for 5 days and caught zip, zero, nada. They did let my pups run on the beach on the bay side but hey. . .
We came all the way from Michigan in April for a week and had great weather BEFORE the Inviro-nuts closed access and will NEVER come back as long as a few tiny birds rule the beach.
In MI we have habitat creation for the Kirtland?s warbler a migratory bird , 9.5 million in stimuless money to cut down forest, because the bird only like?s virgin forest .
The Inviro-nuts seem to be Anti ? people and they get there money from us , the good ole taxpayer.
We have been here since 5/24 for a 2 week visit. This is the latest May trip we have ever made We have never seen the restaurants as empty and crowds so small. It is a good thing we have a new Grandson here, or it would be hard to justify spend $3000+ a couple times a year. It is sad to see the local economy suffering. The locals are such great people?..much more important than plover lovers. I have their BIRD for them.
Take your comments above and add the comments made by the judge today in your article about that hearing and we really have a mess to contend with again this year. No hard feelings for those that are going elsewhere die to this, but ask that you continue to speak out in support of or access future and thank you, we love you to those that are coming anyway. Drive safely and enjoy your vaxation whereever it may be.
Let?s get real folks.
The NPS created the Cape Hatteras National Seahore Recreational Area for the public.
The public no longer matters. You can?t speak out against out the environmental groups without being branded as un-american.
After all, they have Global Warming and Armageddon on their side.
The sky is falling.
The human species is invasive, the top of the food chain.
The only way to deal with this is to eradicate humans.
The problem is that the environmental groups that despise humans, will have to eradicate themselves. Just because you drive a Prius does not remove you from your humanity.
And so it goes.
Is there any way to see how tourism is going in other places? I see to day that the NPS is going to offer three ?free? weekends this summer to try to encourage visitors. I have no doubt that the beach closures have an impact but it seems like it?s more than that.
Re the Prius.
Saw info awhile back that if you consider the total cradle to grave (not just showroom to grave) energy consumed; a Hummer H3 comes out slightly ahead of the Prius. The battery producing process is apparently very energy consuming.
Now, John, surely you can make your case without resorting to that level of absurd ad hominem?
Mark tourism is down everywhere. Pick a resort. From Maine to Florida. They?re giving rooms away. http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2009/06/g.. This chart shows the first two things people cut back on in a recesssion ? entertainment and vacations.
This is America, land of the free! I find if terrifying that a special interest group can successfully dictate policy for The United States Government.
Here?s the latest Beach Access report from NPS:
http://www.nps.gov/caha/parknews/beaR..
Note that they divide CHNS into three districts:
Bodie Island District (CoquinaBeachto Ramp 27; 15.6miles of ocean shoreline)
Mileage Summary: 2.6 miles open to ORVs and pedestrians; 6.6 miles open to pedestrians only; 4.4 miles of “limited access” (open to pedestrians between closures); 2.0 miles closed to public access due to resource closures.
Hatteras Island District(Ramp 27 South to Hatteras Inlet; 33.3miles of ocean shoreline)
Mileage Summary: 12.0 miles open to ORVs and pedestrians; 12.3 miles open to pedestrians only; 2.4 miles of “limited access” (open to pedestrians between closures); 6.6 miles closed to public access due to resource closures.
Ocracoke Island District(18.6miles of ocean shoreline)
Mileage Summary: 7.3 miles open to ORVs and pedestrians; 7.1 miles open to pedestrians only; 1.0 miles of “limited access” (open to pedestrians between closures); 3.2 miles closed to public access due to resource closures
Now let?s total this up, shall we? Out of 67.5 miles of ocean beach:
Total area open to ORVs and pedestrians ? 21.9 miles
Total additional areas open to pedestrians only ? 26 miles
Total areas open to pedestrians (with or w/o ORVs) ? 47.9 miles
Total limited access (open to pedestrians between closures) ? 7.8 miles
Total area closed for natural resources (i.e. Consent Decree) ? 11.8 miles
The fact is the percentage of the seashore closed due to bird protections is just 17 percent (if you want to add in the limited access areas its 29 percent). Not small, but it sure is different than what I?m reading here.
Seems to me that finding a place to fish or swim with almost 22 miles of ORV access and more than 50 miles of beach open to pedestrians is really shouldn?t be that hard.
Well, not exactly as they say in the Hertz ad, Anchor (anonymity ) man.
It depends on what activity you desire to engage in as to whether what is left is suitable. It is for some and not for others, plus more conflict potential between various user types is starting to show up because of the crowding.
And again the best, most popular recreating spots are closed. Recall my analogy of Bush Gardens with all the hot attractions shut down. Yes we have some good stuff left, but not some of the great stuff.
The mileage does not give the complete picture. The new breakdown by NPS is certainly an improvement but still not the whole picture.
I certainly concede your point, Salvo Jimmy, although I think you may have a bit of a surf-fisher?s bias of what the best spots are! And sure, there?s the potential for user conflict between swimmers, boarders, and fishermen ? just as there is presently user conflicts between pedestrians and ORVs in some areas. I just figure with that much space still open, there should be room for most anyone to find a little piece of paradise. And again, in this economy, can we all afford to paint the bleaker picture. Kudos to NPS, though, for trying to break it down a little clearer.
Here is what I am able to get out of Cyndy,s Access Report and NPS Google -I do not show the pole road soundside and I do not agree with the 1.2 west of 49, but I add 0.1 north of 38 so we should be right on.
Anchorman does not include Pea Island in percentages and we do. I drove on it for years. I put this out on my website every week and if anyone has any complaints ask Cyndy to clarify and show me my errors.
My name is Frank Miller Folb and I am proud to use my name in what I say.
Ramp by Ramp open access for ORV traffic (Updated 06-04-2009)
(Bodie Island Total-2.5 miles open)
Ramp 2 ? (Seasonal Closure) CLOSED
Ramp 4 North 2.4 miles open
Ramp 4 – South Oregon Inlet (Bodie Island Spit) 0.2 miles open
(Hatteras Total – 9.3 miles open)
Ramp 23 CLOSED
Ramp 27 North 0.0 miles open
Ramp 27 South 0.1 miles open (110 meters)
Ramp 30 North 0.6 miles open
Ramp 30 South 1.6 miles open
Ramp 34 CLOSED
Ramp38 North 0.1 miles open
Ramp 38 South 1.4 miles open
Ramp 43 Cul-da-sac 0.6 miles open
Ramp 44 CLOSED
Ramp 49 East 1.6 miles open
Ramp 49 West to Frisco Village Line 1.0 miles open
Ramp 55 East 0.1 miles open
Ramp 55 West beach shoreline 2.1 miles open
Ramp 55 Interdunal (Pole) Road 2.1 miles open
/ with small soundside access at spur road, cable crossing and behind Coast Guard Base
(Ocracoke Total ? 6.9 miles open)
Ramp 59 North 0.4 miles open
Ramp 59 South 1.0 miles open
Ramp 67 North 1.4 miles open
Ramp 67 South 0.6 miles open
Ramp 68 South 0.4 miles open
Ramp 70 North 0.4 miles open
Ramp 70 ? Ramp 72 1.8 miles open
Ramp 72 South 0.9 miles open
These are rough numbers only. Some of these miles are too narrow to drive safely
Anchor (anonymity) man
Yep, I?ve no doubt got a tad of fishing bias. But while it is MY most prevalent activity, it is far from all the activities my wife, daughter/husband and grandson engage in at the Seashore. It?s not all I do either.
I recommend you go to this site and select the Draft Recreational Use Map Set and take a look at activities besides fishing at the closed “best, most popular recreating spots” I have mentioned. Take a good look at the 4 inlet spits, Cape Point, South Beach. And keep in mind DRAFT. It was updated with additions but I couldn?t locate the final.
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cfm..
Those who have been following this item might be interested in taking a look at some new stuff on Dr Berry?s BLOG
http://drmikeberry.wordpress.com