Commentary

May 2008 Letters to the Editor
New Letters to the Editor....05.27.2008  7:30 am

Guest Column:  The consent decree and bad public policy

 
Dr. Berry makes many good and logical points. Where was he when all this began? I agree with him. The rights of humans are taking second place to the rights of birds and turtles. I, too, feel that I am environmentally sensitive and aware of the issues. However, this decree has already started to have negative effects on most aspects of Hatteras Island.

Nancy Marsh
Plantation, Fla.

 
Excellent article. Dr. Berry should send a copy to every congressman and woman and to every major network and news group. This may be the time to contact Ted Kennedy and plead/beg him to introduce a bill to protect the public’s rights and ensure that this never happens again. It is obvious that the senator has a love for the ocean, because the first thing he did after being released from the hospital was to go sailing. A bill to protect the public’s beach rights could be his legacy, and if introduced, I can't imagine too many voting against it. Therefore, we need someone with good writing skills, tact, and knowledge of the situation to contact him. Unfortunately, that is not me. The only thing I would add to Dr Berry's article is that these are the same groups blocking the building of a new bridge, and if they are not stopped, they will eventually have blood on their hands. The bridge will collapse or someone will drown trying to get to the point.

Tim Sacksteder
Great Falls, Va.

 
In answer to Dr. Michael A. Berry's excellent column in The Island Free Press, most all of us have contacted our congressman and our two senators from North Carolina with no response to help us with this beach closure. I suggest that if they do not do as Dr. Berry suggests and Congress does not pass legislation that restores full control of the park to the Park Service, that we should elect someone who will help us. Listen, Friends, we are fighting for our lives.

Carol White Dillon
Buxton


For 50 years, I have been coming to the Outer Banks a couple of weeks a year for surf fishing. I always looked forward to the trips. Now it looks as if they are a thing of the past. So sad. I hope I can live long enough to drum fish on the south end of Ocracoke just one more night.

T.L. Kilbourne
Wilmington, Del.

 
Well written! I've been trying to explain why we couldn't go to South Beach. South Beach area is a wonderful and safe family area for children to play without the threat of strong currents. The only people in the enclosures are the ones that caused them, so I say leave all God’s creatures alone. If we can't go, neither shall you. So much anger, pain, and despair for what? There will be more swimming accidents because people will be forced to more dangerous waters and not be prepared for the currents and rip tides. How shall we live with the cost of human life for a possible chance of six or fewer birds and maybe six turtles not eaten by marine life or gulls? Heaven help us. In this world human life should be as cherished.

Regina Groves
Buxton

 
Dr. Berry seems to be one of the few people who look at the issue with an open mind. He is very informed as his background proves. This country needs a turn around fast because a few want to control it all. What transpired at the OBX is form of dictatorship. Hard to believe it can happen in a democracy.

Paul Rudar
Midland, Pa.

 
I could not stop reading Mike Berry’s column on beach closing and found it very informative. I do have one question. Did the Park Service do anything to prevent the closing by furnishing any information in favor of keeping beaches open? I can remember the N.C. National Guard help haul sand for the dunes, and this how our state is paid back. I now understand why the National Rifle Association will not give an inch on banning any guns. I don't think we need fully automatic weapons, but you can see what happens when you give in just a little.
 
CW5 Wayne A. Church
North Carolina National Guard
Pfafftown, N.C.

 
Dr. Berry's column eloquently captures what many of us less gifted, but no less passionate, people feel about the current situation at Cape Hatteras National Recreation Seashore. Thank you for taking the time to give us the benefit of your experience and wisdom, and thank you to the Island Free Press for having the courage and good sense to publish it.

Martin Calvert
Newport News, Va.


I would like to thank Dr. Berry for this very informative column and its suggestions of how to address being denied a role and the public's constitutional right to have a say in the management of its park environment. I agree that the settlement was only a "win" for the environmental activist organizations wanting to block the public from the beaches in the public's park and grants special rights to species and overlooks the fact that the Constitution grants rights to persons (the citizens and taxpayers of America) for the betterment of birds and turtles. I was saddened to hear of the adverse economic impact the April 30 consent decree is already having on the residents, communities, and businesses of the Outer Banks.

My family (men and women and children), like many other families, has enjoyed vacationing each year. We’ve been surf fishing in the fall for 12 years, and before the women were included, the men made an annual trip and have been going for a total of more than 30 years. We feel the Park Service has done a wonderful job of managing the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. We have seen signs restricting areas on the beach and have never seen anyone going into these areas. We also treasure the environment of the OBX and I truly regret that there has now been vandalism to signs, forcing the Park Service to enlarge the restricted area.

I plan to write to my congressman, asking for political support and legislation like Dr. Berry mentioned that related to Yellowstone National Park, so public participation will be required in all management for the park (including pedestrian and ORV use) and so the public won't be denied access to their park and to the access management decisions, and to ask for a review panel of senior government scientists to be asked to do specific tasks. I would like to thank The Island Free Press and Dr. Berry for this column.

Jeanne York
Salisbury, N.C.

 
First I am for the environment. It’s something to think about. But all of nature becomes extinct at some point in time. If not we would be dodging dinosaurs. It bothers me that the environmentalists are not there when woodlands and wetlands are taken to build homes and shopping centers. The wildlife is forced to go into areas that they are not used to. Then they are destroyed because they are there. This is not right. Because of this, my children and theirs will not be able to enjoy this or any other park in the USA. We might as will put up cameras so that we might watch the wildlife on TV.

Tommy Walls
Raleigh, N.C.


An excellent, well thought out and factual article. One of the best I have seen to date on this issue and the suggestions made by Dr. Berry should be taken to heart in your next round of letters to elected officials. Thank you, Dr. Berry, for your efforts.

Doug Crumpton
Burlington, N.C.


 
What a great column.  Thank you, sir.

Bill Gawler
Frederick, Md.


 
Thank you, Dr. Berry, for this insightful and informative article. What has happened on the Outer Banks recently is just one more example of an activist judge misusing his power and removing all rights from the people affected by his decision. He is not following democracy. The people of North Carolina will not sit still, be silent, and allow this travesty to continue. The very sad thing is that while it is being sorted out, an economy is ruined, people lose their businesses, their homes, and their lives are ruined --to say nothing about the tremendous loss of tax revenue that is needed to support that beautiful part of North Carolina. Yes, I will call my congressman, because this cannot continue.

Faye H Ruth
Wilson, N.C.

 
Wonderful article! It's time to stop the environmental extremists and activist judges from stripping citizens from their constitutionally guaranteed freedoms. I, for one, plan to heed Dr. Berry's call to reverse this horrible consent decree.

Barron Housel
Chapel Hill, N.C.

 
Finally, a scientist with common sense and rational approach to solving the issue of beach access. This gentleman's voice needs to be heard by the politicians who have the power to intervene and give the people our beach back, while still looking out for the interest of wildlife in a reasonable way.

David Allen
Onancock, Va.

 
Even from far away, Dr. Mike is being heard! I hope he can maintain his passion. His cause is noble.

Peter Theis
Greendale, Wis.

 
Thank you for your well-written comments and insights, Dr. Berry. However, I just feel that we as voters and taxpayers have been abandoned by our elected officials on this issue. How long do Hatteras and Ocracoke have to twist in the wind before federal lawmakers challenge the Department of Interior and the National Park Service? Not only about beach access, but also the long-overdue replacement of the Bonner Bridge? I feel like writing any more letters is time spent on something I can't control if the elected officials do not respond.

For the past 20 years, I've always eagerly awaited the two weeks I spend on the island, but this year, I just feel depressed and weary about the whole thing. I hate to say it, but I feel like I'm only going at this point because I can't get my rental cost back. I do not want to take my wife, son, and parents out on jammed-packed beaches under armed guard surveillance. I've always thought of myself as a sportsman and steward of the environment. But, I can honestly say that I no longer care about the environment if those who profess so strongly to protect and defend the environment do so by undermining democratic processes, twisting facts, backroom deals, and stealing the rights of all citizens.

Derek Scott
West Chest, Pa.

 
This is a well written article by Dr. Berry. I truly believe this whole "process" we (Average American Taxpayer) have just experienced warrants a Congressional investigation and hearing. Would love to see a young investigative reporter research of how and why we're at the stage we are now – to completely document the big picture starting with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, the work of the CCC in the 1930s to build the dunes, that enabled the barrier islands to be "stabilized" in order to create the first national seashore. It started in 1937 and wasn't finalized until 1953 with World War II in the middle. During this period Conrad Wirth of the National Park Service stated in writing there would be free and open beaches. Then let’s go to the state-federal funding partnership that built the Bonner Bridge and paved roads on Hatteras and Ocracoke islands. Then the Endangered Species Act was created in 1969-1972. You also have Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, which was created inside the boundaries of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area. Both areunder the Department of Interior.

An Executive Order was issued in 1972 (election year) and again in 1976( election year) pertaining to ORV- Endangered Species Act implementation. Then in 1978, a plan was supposedly created by the local Park Service officials and sent to Washington, D.C., where it was never finalized. I have many questions about this process. Are the acts realistic in the present forms due to age and the fact that this is National Recreational Area and that the mission statements of the Park Service and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service are different? Why did the NPS biological opinion have to be approved by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service? Why wasn’t the seashore grandfathered from the Endangered Species Act? Why wasn't this thought of or discussed? Judge Boyle was appointed in 1992 by President George Bush. He was never appointed to the Court Of Appeals. The present Bush administration has been in office for over seven years.

Why do the average American taxpayers have to pay for the legal fees for the plaintiffs? Shouldn't Judge Boyle look out for the taxpayer also? Why hasn't his superior stepped forward to correct this wrong. Who does he answer to? This whole process could be an interesting case study of the Federal Judicial System, and if we don't question it now, it will continue to happen. This is an election year. You would think our elected officials would want to step up and investigate this whole situation. Someone please represent the average American taxpayer.

Mike Martin
Avon


 
Great article. I would love for that article to be reprinted in its entirety in the Op-Ed section of Yhe New York Times and Washington Post. Maybe if the public knew how biased Judge Boyle and the Defenders of Wildlife and the National Audubon Society were, enough pressure would be put on Congress to act and step in.

Jim McGettigan
Lansdale, Pa.

 
 
Things need to change or there will be no human access soon.

Ralph Morgan
Charlotte, N.C.


 
It seems to me that these plaintiffs committed perjury and conspired to do so during the court proceedings over the OBX beach closing. Moreover, if the violator(s) of the closures was of the plaintiffs’ agents, they sure have a made self-fulfilling prophecy come true. What’s to stop them? It is what they wanted, what they predicted. Why wouldn’t they do it? They are the kind of sneaks that will do anything to win. This is obvious from their actions and statements prior to and during the meetings and consent negotiations. They most likely did it themselves, they sure had motive! There sure is reasonable suspicion for the belief the plaintiffs did it. Can it be we the people are being punished because the plaintiffs did the transgression themselves?  Just take our constitutional rights without due process?  In addition, a complaint under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) needs to be filed against the Park Service and all the participants in the consent arrangement! There are no considerations for disabled persons’ access along the whole beach.
.
Douglas Smith
Engelhard, N.C.

 
The guest column was well written. The fact remains that I, from Pennsylvania, will not risk a trip to Buxton to fish when at a moment’s notice the beach access will be closed. My vacation time, not to mention the cost of travel and hotel bills, is too valuable to risk. After 30 years of traveling to North Carolina from near Pittsburgh, my fishing group and I bid goodbye to Buxton.

Charles Chappell
Gibsonia, Pa.




More about beach access issues

I have been quietly following this for many months now. It seems to many of us that the National Park Service is finally doing what it should have done years ago in following federal laws. If the island businesses have fewer tourists this year, it will likely be from these high gas prices and poor economy than this issue.

You are doing yourselves no favor by making it appear that the world has ended. There are still many miles of beach open to ORVs. Stop lying to get what you want!

My guess is because I disagree with the majority of what you are printing about the ORV issue, you will not post my e-mail to you. It seems a number of people on the "other side" of this issue never get their voices heard because the bullies are too busy drowning them out.

The real enemy in all of this is the NPS for not following federal laws for more than 25 years. The enemy is not Defenders of Wildlife, Audubon, or any one individual. It is a real shame to see such misinformation being put out from the ORV groups, and the islanders know no better.

A federal law is a federal law. The seashore is a "national" seashore and is federal property, and as Judge Boyle said, "This is not a Dare county pond."
 
It would be nice if your paper could point out the real problem and stop all of this in-fighting and threats to good people and what they do. They feel as strongly about what they do as we do. But some leaders on Hatteras do not know how to "lead" they just know bully tactics and threats. It's a shame-- makes you look ignorant.

Robert Jackson
Asheville, N.C.

 
 
The beach driving restrictions and closures do not surprise me. I have heard rumblings about the possible closures and restrictions for many years. I have been a homeowner for 18 years and knew beach driving restrictions would happen eventually. I respect the decision made by environmentalists and the National Park Service, but there are a few issues I would like to mention.
 
To begin with, although I applaud the saving of the turtles, birds, and other wildlife, I have a difficult time with the closure of beach traffic for the surf fishermen. Surf fishermen are nature lovers, too. It is hard for me to believe there can not be a system put in place that would allow surf fisherman to continue to fish the Ocracoke waters from the beach. There must be a way. What about a permit system during the summer months during the height of the tourist season? There are so many avid surf fishermen, who for generations have handed down the art of surf fishing to their children and grandchildren.
 
And where is CAMA with all this? How can it be that the Audubon Society, the National Park Service, and other interested parties can restrict and/or close portions of the Ocracoke beach to any kind of traffic, yet are unable to stop a bridge from being built over an established creek and through one of the many precious wetlands in the village of Ocracoke? Numerous turtles, birds, and other wildlife are currently being threatened in the same manner as they are on the beach. It baffles me to know that at this time there is not one person who can stop one individual from building a bridge across precious wetlands, yet they have the power to restrict beach driving and close other beaches to everybody. Where is the justice in this -- justice for the birds, turtles, and other wildlife that not only frequent the beach but also live in the marshes surrounding Ocracoke village? I do not understand this. If we are to close and/or restrict beach driving for the benefit of wildlife, why is it not possible to restrict or rather prohibit the building of a bridge across coveted wetlands.
 
I beg those in power to not only consider the well being of our wildlife on our beaches, but to also develop policy that would restrict or prohibit future building of any kind on, over, or through the many marshes of Ocracoke Island.
 
Edward Calvitti
Harleysville, Pa.

 
 
I lived on Ocracoke for five years and enjoyed driving and fishing on the beach when ever I wanted to. Despite my enjoyment, I always worried about the wildlife and whether the impact of my presence would disrupt their behavior. I am so very happy about the beach access limitations and restrictions. I will most likely apply for a beach driving permit when I return this September, and I welcome the education that will be required. Yes, I want to know what to look for when driving on the beach. I welcome any information you all will provide so that I can do my part to protect the wildlife on Ocracoke. Thank you so much to all who have “stepped up to the plate” to protect our fragile wildlife.

Because my husband has two boats, I am sure we will be in the water more than on the beach, but this is okay with us. Again, I commend everyone who has had a hand with protecting our wildlife. Perhaps when I return I will have the good fortune of being able to volunteer my time to assist those who will continue to monitor the behavior patterns of birds, turtles, and humans. Thank you again for all you did and will continue to do.

Cynthia Carver-Calvitti
Harleysville, Pa.



What have we done? We spent a lovely morning on some of our Avon beaches. Saw a lot of birds-oystercatchers, gulls, sandpipers, willets, whimbrels, terns, various plovers -- none in the bird closures. Bought an ice cream and went out to the Buxton beaches. Turned around on the cul-de sac of Ramp 43 and sat for awhile at Ramp 44, watching a few fishermen and families enjoying the beach.

As we were leaving, I noticed a couple with a large leashed dog casually walking along the surf line – in a full bird closure. We waited until they left the closure and spoke to them about the ban on walking on one of the Top 10 Beaches in America. They were surprised, thought the ban was for ORVs. They spoke with an accent, had picked up several large whelk shells, and told us they had walked from the old lighthouse area through several full closures. Why no one at Ramp 43 said anything I cannot guess. We showed them the sign, told them how they could get back to their vehicle, and saw them leave the area.

This innocent encounter haunts me. They are our guests -- to our country and our national park. And how did I treat them? With friendliness? No. I basically said “Get out of here.” I live in Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area and rather than welcome visitors, I am forced to discipline them. The beach is littered with signs and most of them say “Get Out. You are not wanted here.”

This is my home, and today I am embarrassed by my government and my park management. We must change this. This is so wrong on so many levels.

Dolores and Neil Swartz
Avon

 
 
For over 28 years, my wife and our family have enjoyed the beauty and delicate lifestyle of the entire area south of Nags Head on Highway 12. We saw a lot during our time -- the decision to put a go-cart track in Frisco and the relocation of the lighthouse, neither of which were popular on all fronts, and much more. However, the show went on.
 
Consent decree or no consent decree, we decided that this summer will be no different for us than any of the previous. We will make our annual trek from the hills of West Virginia to Buxton and will continue to support the local economy there. If we want to fish, crab, clam, hunt seashells, etc. we will do so respecting the order.
 
Unless the beachfront from the old lighthouse location to Avon is restricted to birds and turtles before we arrive, we will be there July 19. We will drive to Williamsburg and lay over for the night. We will have breakfast at the Candlestick Restaurant and drive to Buxton. Once at Buxton, we will have lunch at The Fish House, get groceries at Conner’s, then take a well-deserved, mandatory nap in a rental house. We will then have dinner every evening at restaurants from Avon to Ocracoke. Our trek is a family tradition unaffected by recent developments.
 
Regardless of what the Audubon Society, the NPS, etc. agreed to, we will continue our family vacation to the place my wife and I mutually agreed upon nearly three decades ago, as being the best place on earth for a vacation. Our show will go on.

Ron Cross
Ravenswood, W.Va.

 
My son and I have driven down from Massachusetts and have stayed in Ocracoke three out of the last four years. The point accessible at Ramp 72 is a remarkable beach that we absolutely loved, Now that it is restricted to ORVs, per the NPS Google Earth map, what is the point of going? There are places closer to Boston where I can go and have a similar experience. But in no way does it match Ocracoke. First the outrageous gas prices and now beach closure. We would have easily planned to go back even with the gas prices the way they are, but with the beach closure, there is no point to drive down. There will be no visit to beautiful Ocracoke and it makes me sad.

Jonathan Magsino
Boston, Mass.


How unfair is this automatic expansion of the closed areas? What is to prevent the tree huggers who are promoting the closures from going out and vandalizing the boundaries? This only helps their side by expanding the boundaries when, in fact, they want the whole area closed anyway. The Park Service should be investigating the groups that support the closures. It is more to their advantage to create vandalism than it is for the side in favor of access.

Dave Morris
Charleston, W. Va.

 
It’s very disappointing to experience the closures that have no advance notice. This makes it impossible to plan your day. Nothing like packing up the coolers, kids, pets and truck just to learn that the beach is closed when you arrive at the ramp or to be forced off the beach after you have unpacked everything and set up for the day. Please donate generously to the jars that have been set up at all the businesses. I have seen too many pennies and dollars in these jars. It is expensive to hire lawyers to fight these groups that are closing the Outer Banks beaches to the public. Do not let one more of your rights be taken away without a fight.

Cheryl Allman
Bluemont, Va.

 
Well, I am glad to see that North Carolina no longer needs tourist money. By shutting down the beaches, you have officially decided you no longer need our vacation money, which is usually in excess of $5,000 to $6,000 in one week, spent on housing, shopping, fishing, and dining. Are these stupid birds that valuable to North Carolina?  It’s a sad day when a few screw up everything for the many.

Al Belfield
Tappahannock, Va.

 
We own a house in Avon and have been coming to vacation in Avon since 1990. Now that I have kids of my own (3 and 5), we come every June with my grandparents, parents, aunts, cousins, and friends. We love that we can drive out on the beach, and the guys can fish, the kids can play, and the women can relax. I think this whole thing is stupid. And who is to say that the damage done to the beach closurers earlier this month weren't the work of the ones that want the beaches totally closed? My family has already said they are coming this year because we already have it planned, but they will think long and hard about coming next year if things haven't changed. It’s very sad because I was looking forward to making memories with my kids, just as I have grown up with the memories of the Outer Banks.

Heather Meredith
Preston, Md.

 
Since surf fishermen have to have a license, why don't birdwatchers have to have a birdwatching license? The state is taxing the fishermen.  Why not birdwatchers? They are the ones who are having the beaches closed to fishermen.

Tom Jones
Galax, Va.

 
My heart goes out to the locals who live on these islands. I have enjoyed Hatteras Island for more than 23 years. Surf fishing is something I was raised with and have raised my kids on. This truly might be our last year to Hatteras.

Michelle Graham
Beaver Falls, Pa.

 
Comments: It is incredibly tragic and sad for this community that the beaches are no longer accessible for the flocks of people who come to enjoy them to relax, fish, kite, windsurf, kayak, shell, etc. I am certain many will not return. Let us all hope that Congress overturns this outrageous decree. It is truly for the birds!

Howard Ruderfer (Dr. Rudy)
Buxton

 
I find it sad that a well-funded special interest group with no ties/connections to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore has seen fit to basically close it to those who live there and make their living from it, not to mention those who come from out of state to enjoy it as well. We bought property in Frisco three years ago with the plan to build a vacation house on it. If I can't get to the beach, what's the point? Do I now sell the property at a loss and walk away or do I wait until this is resolved? We are watching this very closely, and how much of the beach is open in August will dictate whether or not we vacation there this year.

Anthony Hess
Kintnersville, Pa.

 
Dispatches from the beachfront is another informative post. Thanks for keeping those of us whose heart is there stay informed. I hope the holiday weekend is not too tough on everybody.

Steve Spence
Blackstone, Va.

 
Dispatches from the beachfront is a good article, but it should have highlighted how the environmentalists circumvented due process in winning this ruling. What happened to the democratic process? Guess it is only valid when special interest groups say it is.

Jim Kurz
Chapel Hill, N.C.

 
I have been coming to the Point for years and have followed the issue of beach closures over the Internet since the decree order was signed. I have yet to see any conclusive evidence that supports the environmentalists’ cause that shows the closures of the entire beach area verses roping off nesting areas as the NPS has done in the past will improve the population of the birds they are trying to protect. Is there any? Sounds like "guilty until proven innocent" to me.

Tony Hudson
Tappahannock, Va.


 
Who's to say that it was a local doing all of this vandalism? Did anyone stop to think that it could have been done by one (or many) of the people that are trying to shut us down in the first place? Yes, I'm sure we all would like to tear it all down and burn it, but we've been educated about the consequences. If we know it makes things worse to tear it down, why would we do it? It may have been kids just acting out, but I think with the importance of the situation, most kids would be as passionate about this cause as the adults. So, if you really think about it, it leaves the beaches wide open, only to be closed by those who want it closed anyway. Most people, maybe even you, support some kind of cause. It might be global warming, animal testing, organic food, whatever. And then you have members of the Audubon Society, Environmental Defense, Defenders of Wildlife, and pretty much anything you can think of. These people live everywhere. They live next door, above you, below you, and all around you. You know how the saying goes, "You never know what goes on behind closed doors."  Now it should be, "You never know what goes on when you close your door." Makes you wonder.

Missy Quidley
Buxton
 
A bit of clarity on my position -- I disagree with the ruling and feel that this is just the initial step in obliterating the opportunity for one to enjoy what I feel is a well-deserved right.
 
I think while Judge Boyle is working to solve all problems associated with ORV management on Hatteras Island, he should contact Mother Nature and pass legislation to get rid of the northeasters that cause the true demise of both sea turtles and plovers. This obstacle has been proven scientifically.
 
I would welcome any e-mail response (vaughan202@aol.com) and the opportunity to respond to the lawmakers who pass rulings because of fear of those who scream they are environmentalists, yet also drive to beach access areas on a routine basis. I truly feel that most every sportsman is a conservationist who holds the welfare of the native wildlife species in high regard. Maybe decisions should be based as much on economics and revenue to an area that lives by the dollar of those visiting than on  a bird or turtle that will never learn how and where to build nests in areas that are protected from the only elements we are unable to control.

Wayne Vaughan
Wendell, N.C.

 
Man is not a threat to the survival of a few birds that are not endangered, but the Southern Environmental Law Center, National Audubon Society, and Defenders of Wildlife are a very real threat to the survival of the thousands of people on the OBX who make their living solely off of the tourism dollar.

Scott Tyson
Charlotte, N.C.

 
It’s so terribly sad to see these closures. Our favorite thing to do when we visit Hatteras yearly, sometimes more often, is to drive out to the Point and fish. We have always had the greatest respect for the wildlife and took every precaution to steer clear of nesting birds. They are not that hard to spot and it was one of the first things we were taught when we started visiting the island many years ago. Looks as though the environmentalists will have to petition Mother Nature to keep her waves away from the nests. Wonder who the judge will be on that one? The birds have made their own way on the island for many years without the interference of the environmental groups and will continue to do so, in spite of beachgoers, fishermen, hurricanes, ORVs, high waves, etc. I have never, in over 22 years, met one disrespectful individual on the beaches of Hatteras Island. It seems as though that has all changed as the environmentalists have been exhibiting disrespectful behavior all over this beautiful beach. People are Gods' creatures too.

Sheila Smith
Parkersburg, W.Va.

 
We have been coming to Buxton for almost 30 years. With the fishing off the Point stopped, we will never come back.

C.A. Chappell
Gibsonia, Pa.

 
Please re-open the beach. My wife and I come down every year, sometimes for three to four visits a year, and we always enjoy driving out on the beach and spending the day away from the hotels, enjoying the beach and others. When we decided to buy a four-wheel-drive vehicle, Nags Head came into the discussion several times, since we could drive out on the beach with a four-wheel-drive vehicle. We are headed down tomorrow for Memorial Day weekend, and I just found out that the beach was closed. I cannot express how much we enjoy driving on the beach and how much it will be missed on this trip. House or hotel location never mattered to us because we spend the whole day out on the beach. Please don't take that away from out vacation.

Sam Ikenberry
Richmond, Va.

 
We have been coming to Avon for 20 years, along with brother, sisters, children, and grandchildren. We rented a home twice a year, bought daily supplies, ate out, purchased lots of fishing tackle, and gifts. We enjoyed our daily trip to Cape Point for the day to enjoy swimming, fishing, walking, and the beautiful scenery. It would be interesting to add up all the thousands of dollars our family has spent in those 20 years on Hatteras and Ocracoke. Without being able to drive to Cape Point for our beach day, our trips to Hatteras and money spent there have ended.

Tom Schmutz
Concord, Va.

 
Our hearts are saddened that our beaches are being "taken" away from us here on Hatteras Island, and certainly tempers are flaring as the situation broadens. We have lived here many years, run a business here many years, loved the beach and birds, fishing and the camaraderie that the beach provides. Yesterday, it saddened me to listen to a local business person having to explain after being asked what “save the beach" meant. A the visitors turned to leave, they remarked, "We'll never come here again!"

We have lived here, co-existing with the wildlife and loving it since "way back when," and the birds are still here. We have a wildlife refuge (Pea Island) that has been groomed to attract the birds as a safe haven. We were appalled several years ago to learn, after the fact, that geese (after being lured there for years) had been trapped and gassed by authorities, instead of relocating them to other refuges or having a short hunting season. No wildlife organization made comment, nor did PETA.

Where will it all end?

Cathy Moir
Buxton

 
I have been coming to the Outer Banks for more than 25 years.  It’s a beautiful place with good fishing and beautiful views, and some of the best folks on this earth either live there or vacation there. Once there, even the hardest of people seem transformed by the beauty of it, and it awakens within them an appreciation of nature.

In my younger days, it would not matter if I had to lug coolers, rods, etc. over hundreds of yards just to access the beach to fish, because that was what I had to do, as a four-wheel drive was out of my budget then. But now as I am older, knee reconstructions have limited my inclination to traverse dunes and a mile or so of beach to get a good fishing spot, so now I was hoping to get a four-wheel-drive vehicle get to the fishing as I did when younger.  But it looks like that is now in jeopardy.

Yes, I can see both sides to the issues, and both have the right to express comments and concerns. I am hoping to see a fair and just solution to the issues of beach closures  that can sustain the wildlife and keep the recreational fishermen and women still able to access the beach in a prudent manner.

Steve Leith
South Boston, Va.

 
It is very sad to read about all of the families that are not going to vacation in Hatteras because of the beach access limitations. The sound access, boating, and fishing are all still there, as well as the beaches. We have always enjoyed all of these things and are not going to let this beach access ruin our vacation this year. We will continue to support the local business people on the island and show our appreciation to all who are working so hard to keep the island running. Hatteras Island is, and always will be, a very special and beautiful place to us.

Jan McCrystal
Frisco and Point Pleasant, N.J.

The groundswell of letters here and elsewhere deploring the beach closures --zillions of them --  reflect the widespread outrage at this legal betrayal. However, unless they are also directed to those who can correct the situation, they constitute little more than "preaching to the choir." I hope all these letters are being forwarded to local, state, and federal legislators, demanding more than a mere statement of helpless sympathy.

Fred Westervelt
Ocracoke
 
How can it be all of a sudden the birds and turtles are at risk after all these years? I try to come every year with my family, rent a house, surf fish, go offshore fishing, and spend at least a week, as do a lot of people. We love it down there. It just seems to me there should be another answer rather than closing everything, I sure will miss it.

Thomas White
Amherst, Va.

 
Why does the National Park Service get the right to tell the people that they can't use government property. The government is the people, not just a handful. I believe this system should have someone with a backbone to go to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., to be heard concerning this matter, and we have qualified people that can do this. We need everyone in the United States who vacations and/or visits here to stand behind the people who are doing everything that they can to change what has been put in force. May God bless each and everyone of them.

Dottie Robinson
Frisco

 
After reading about some of the behavior of the special interest groups you folks are up against, I wouldn't be surprised if one of their own is the vandal. That's one way of accomplishing their goal. We'll be visiting Hatteras Island next week, and I don't know what to expect. Tell me how someone from Pennsylvania can be of assistance.

Dennis McIlhinney
Warrington, Pa.

 
Where is the outage that hundreds of animals, geese, raccoons, opossums, etc. are being trapped and slaughtered so that the birds have no natural predators on the beach? Why is the so-called Defenders of Wildlife not concerned about this? We just got back from a week at Salvo and it was so incredibly sad. The Outer Banks and its residents are resilient and have survived natural disasters. I'm not sure we can survive the man-made disaster we're now facing.

Polly Moffatt
Charleston, W.Va.

 
My wife and I have been coming here in May for several years to fish and relax on the beach. It is evident that the Park Service is partly behind the beach closing. I don't live there, but it is plain to see that the birds are not the only matter driving the beach closures. I have always supported the business owned by locals, but if we can't drive on the beach, we will find another place for spring vacation. I will do my part in writing our politicians and supporting organizations trying to help open the beaches, but what really gets me is using my tax dollars to enforce the closure. I wouldn't even wave or smile at a Park Service employee this week and didn't understand how mean spirited these people are until now.
 
Wayne Church
Pfafftown, N.C.

 
We have been faithful visitors to the Outer Banks for the past 15 years, ever since we honeymooned there. The draw to this area has always been its beauty, its nature, and that we were able to drive onto the beach to calmer waters where our children could swim and play all day because you could pack up an entire day’s worth of food and drink, chairs, toys, etc. It is sad to see in this country the continued interference of our government in placing restrictions on our freedoms. Yes, the wildlife should be protected, absolutely. But shouldn't our freedoms be protected too? Punish those who do not respect the wildlife but do not punish and take away the freedom to have access to the beach to those who have always and continue to respect its nature. Once again, the government is condemning the majority for the mistakes of the minority. We will be visiting this summer, for we have already made the plans, but we may consider staying closer to home next year where we can walk onto the Eastern Shore beaches with a much shorter trip. We will miss Hatteras should that come to pass.

Monica Zittle
Baltimore, Md.

 
 It is my opinon that a lot of people at Cape Hatteras will be losing a lot of money during the fishing season. This country is having a very hard time with people having jobs. Now you are going to put more people out of work over a bird? Closing the beaches to fishermen and costing the people at Cape Hatteras their livelihood is the dumbest thing I have ever seen. If I were in charge at Cape Hatteras, a birdwatcher would have to have a permit to watch the bird. I suggest $500 to help with the money that people are going to lose over this dumb bird. Maybe some day a judge will wise up and put people before a bird I sure hope so.

Mike Livengood
Clemmons, N.C.

 
 
I can’t believe this. If the "critters" can’t get by on Portsmouth Island where there are no ORVs and no foot traffic to speak of, how the heck are they going to make it anywhere else? My heart goes out to the people who live there year round who depend on the seasonal vacationers and spring and fall fishing visitors to make a living for their families. Does the Audubon Society have plans for these them as well? I personally know a few people who will be canceling their plans for the summer and fall because of these new "rules," and if I could cancel without losing my 50 percent deposit, I would do so as well. The appeal and charm of the area has a lot to do with the fact that you are able to come and go as you like in a spot that is not only historic but quite beautiful with many forms of wildlife to be found and seen on every trip. The fact that these groups are taking advantage of the National Park Service because they didn’t "make any rules" is ridiculous, and I think the Judge may not have considered the long-term effects on the local economy.  Don’t they count as well? So many people come to the area for the unspoiled beaches, views, fishing etc. I myself have been coming to the area for the last 14 summers for two to three weeks a year with my family and many friends as well. My husband and I had planned to one day retire down there because of the beach access, but not anymore. Please let me know how I may help!

Jean Gransky
Piscataway, N.J.

 
This is just more proof that people have lost the ability to think logically. There are certain elements who would like for all people (except for their tree-hugging selves) to disappear from this earth. Yes, we must not abuse our earth and we must take reasonable measures to ensure the continuance of wildlife, but at what price? The loss of our freedoms as human beings to go where we wish to enjoy the earth God gave us?

Diane Westermann
Pittsburgh, Pa.

 
We have been coming to the Outer Banks for 40 years. This is a sad ending for us.

Patricia Metzger
Lancaster, Ohio

 
Welcome to the CSA – the Communists States of America. Thank goodness we have appointed officials who are in charge of interpreting the provisions that Congress set forth back in the ‘30s for the people’s wildlife refuge, formerly known as the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area. If it wasn't for the all-knowing wisdom of these few, the mass public would be enjoying themselves on the beaches and shops on the island. All hail the ruling party!

Bill Stavenger
Chesapeake, Va.

 
Today is Memorial Day, a day of remembrance and honor for those brave men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice to uphold our basic rights and freedoms as Americans, living in the "Land of the Free." And ironically enough, today at approximately 2 p.m., south of Ramp 30 on Hatteras Island's national seashore, yet another beach closure also took place, for a mere lone pair of "potential nesting" seabirds, who have yet to even drop a single egg in a nest that may or may not ever exist.
 
With our American flag flying from behind our four-wheel-drive, this local family of three -- father, mother and 5-year old son with fishing rod still clutched in hand -- was asked to immediately vacate the beach by Park Service personnel who came in droves with stakes and signs in tow.
 
So much for land of the free. So much for basic American rights on our country’s soil. On the very day of observance of such basic, undeniable rights as citizens of this United States of America, we were denied our access, denied freedom, denied the right to be on our own very beloved land.
 
We have always followed the rules. We leash our dog, we clean up our trash, we only fish that which we will consume, we passionately respect all living creatures, and yet, we are outright denied the very basic rights those before us gave their very lives to uphold-- an open and accessible land of the free.

When on earth is this madness going to cease?

Lisa Sharp
Manteo




Recreational  license sales are down

 
I don't see the need to buy a fishing license that can't be used. The OBX is about fishing, but since they have ruined that, I guess I can stay home and save the gas. Way to go Judge Boyle. A big thumbs down for this whole mess.

Tracy Spencer
Newton, N.C.




Island Cooking:  Waiting for softshell crabs

 
Fabulous! Lynne Foster has a wonderful way of making the recipes come alive. The descriptive writing makes me feel like I'm right there with her. Great job, beautiful writing, and delicious choices.

Eileen Merlin
West Palm Beach, Fla.

 

Big waves, big problems at Mirlo Beach

Regarding the parking "situation" at Mirlo Beach, I understand the situation that the homeowner mentioned in the article found herself under -- disraught -- and I empathize with the feeling that one can not do anything about it. However, I find it very presumptuous to believe, without proof, that it is the surfers who are defecating in showers, throwing rocks in the pool, and leaving footprints in yards. Whoever is defecating in showers needs to wise up or get out. That is totally unacceptable. But I don't see how it can be pinned on just surfers. As for the footprints, it is highly probable that footprints could have been left by the hardworking and praiseworthy DOT workers who are frequently working on this stretch of road to clear away sand. They could have been left by anyone for that matter, going to the beach for any purpose. The homes in that strip are more often than not inundated with tide and sand, and could it also not be these elements of nature that bring the rocks, sand, and debris into yards? (Take a look at archived Free Press articles with photos of these houses underwater and sand.)

I do not hold the surfers blameless. I think too often that all of us disregard or disrespect the property of others, including our national park land. I think that given the situation surfers and beachgoers alike could have more consideration for those around them. Taking the liberty to use someone else's home or property is unacceptable. And it is a rare few that would do this. Take heed, guys, you are giving everyone a bad name. However, as pointed out by the owner of Rodanthe Surf Shop, there are no parking areas within miles of the surf at S-curves. I have lived on the island for seven years, and my husband his entire life. The S-curves has always been a surfing Mecca. Yes, it can get out of control the few times a year that the surf is good, but what one needs to take into consideration is the nature of the islands. People are always parking along side the road, be it bird watchers, surf seekers, beachgoers, or sightseers. It is the nature of the islands. Just as cars were lined on both sides of the road at Canadian Hole this month when the wind was right, there were cars at S-curves. It is the same when the birds are migrating and stretches of the roads bordering the sound are packed with birdwatchers on the side of the road.

Also, the article emphasizes that surfers change with "makeshift" changing closets using their beach towels. So what's the big deal? Can you not find something better to write about? At least they are covered -- completely from waist to ankles, much more so than many beachgoers flaunting bathing suits that can certainly be considered "indecent." And lastly, I doubt you will find surfers urinating on the sand dunes. Have you not heard? "They love to pee in their wet suits."

In the end, my hope would be that we can all find a way to live together on the islands -- surfers, kitesurfers, fishermen, beach lovers, birdwatchers, homeowners, tourists, and locals. Sometimes we forget that "This land is your land  and it's mine."

So, surfers, if you are disrespecting homeowners’ property, grow up and get a clue. Homeowners, know that if you build your house on the beach right in front of one of the best surfing spots in the Eastern U.S., the surfers will come.

Kate Pullen
Buxton




Recycling on the islands

 
Hoorah for Todd Phillips and his recycling program on Hatteras.  From the moment I heard about his efforts, I was on board to cheer him on. Midgett Realty can be proud to have gotten behind this program by requesting its homeowners the option of "opt-out." That was strategic thinking at its best! Come on all of you other rental management companies. Don't give a "opt-in" to become successful. Follow the clear leader in the pack, Midgett Realty, by using the "opt-out" approach for a marked increase in participation. Thank you for being responsible stewards of our beloved island.

Billi Haug
Walnut Creek, Calif.




New Letters to the Editor....05.20.2008  7:45 am

Beach Access Issues
 
I am saddened to witness this happening. My wife first discovered Hatteras 30 years ago and has been a strong advocate of its beauty and beach access. I am a biologist and firmly in favor of living in harmony with other living creatures. This is not harmony. To deny one in favor of the other is simply not natural justice. It will be an uphill battle as the deck is stacked, so to say. I am disappointed in my environmentalist friends, and frightened by the impact it will have on the economy of the area, as well as the recreational benefits to the many loyal citizens who love to fish and really never caused any harm to the environment.

William R. Boone
Inman, S.C.

 
I have to ask myself why anyone would vandalize the closure signs. Would a fisherman or local do that? The answer is that they would not. We the fishermen and women know what we have to lose -- or should I say what we have lost. We don't want to lose anymore beach. Hopefully, the children who will suffer from the lost tax revenue will understand that saving a few birds is far more important than their health and well being. With all the beach closures there really is no place to fish.  I guess I'll just spend the $8,000-$10,000 dollars I usually spend on vacationing on the Outer Banks somewhere else.

James McConnell
Richmond, Va.

 
Is it possible that the vandalism is being done by someone who wants to see the beach closed entirely?

I.D. Fuller
Herndon, Va.

 
Thanks for the excellent coverage of the unfortunate situation. Please keep up the good work.

Mike Donaldson
Silver Spring, Md.

 
Thanks for publishing this beach access news. My family and I will plan to take annual vacation some where else this year. It would not be fair for those members who cannot walk if they cannot keep up with the group if we go to Hatteras.

Nick Griffin
Peachland, N.C.

 
I can honestly say that my plans to come to Buxton, as I have every summer since I was born, may change this year. Coming to Hatteras has been a family tradition since my grandparents bought a piece of land in Avon the year that my father was born (1955). My father has vacationed on Hatteras Island every year since then, as have I every year since 1975, and my children since 1995. With the rising cost of gas, making the six-hour trip from Fredericksburg, Va., has been starting to look a little burdensome and financially stressful. And now with the same amount of vehicles enjoying less square footage of beach, where does that leave us? By “us” I mean the visitors who spend hard earned cash every year for 60-plus years on the islands local economy. We enjoy the quiet serenity of Hatteras Island that you cant get closer to home. Sure, there are several beaches within a two-hour drive, but not with the unspoiled beauty of Hatteras. It is certainly a shame that a few extreme conservationists could potentially spoil a dream vacation spot for so many people from all over the country. Isn’t there some other way to save the plover without ruining vacations? I might as well go to Virginia Beach, save myself some valuable gas, haul my family down the boardwalk, and plant myself and my cooler on some small square of unoccupied sand that will probably be bigger than the one I will be relegated to fit my vehicle into on Hatteras Island. But I certainly am glad that the plovers get 11 football fields worth of my vacation sand. The ruling in favor of more beach closures really is for the birds.

Jennifer Bouchard
Fredericksburg, Va.

 
After reading “Dispatches from the beachfront,” it is obvious to me that negotiated rulemaking will never work if there has to be 100 percent agreement on all the decisions made. In any normal (and this is far from normal) situation, it is very hard for all sides to come together and agree 100 percent on something as divided as this is. The Audubon Society and Defenders of Wildlife have gotten what they want at the expense of many -- those who live on the island, visitors to the island, you name it - everyone but those groups and the birds. Who is to say that some of those groups didn't cause the vandalism? The areas for the birds get larger when any vandalism takes place. Isn't that what those groups want?  I hope the rulemaking group can come to terms with this, but I will believe it when I see it. Throw into the pot Mother Nature - you know "she" rules above all. That is probably one of the big reasons that birds have had trouble nesting in those areas. Who knows when the next storm comes through and what nests will be washed away?
.
The long-term damage done by this lawsuit will not be seen now. Just check out the rental season next year. Will everyone rental for the next season? If you wait until the end of negotiated rulemaking, no telling what will be left on Hatteras Island.

Betty Russell
Martinsburg, W. Va.
 
 
“Dispatches from the beachfront” is a well written and accurate account. So much heartache for a few birds. How sad that people rather than wildlife are not the primary concern of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreation Area.

Dolores and Neil Swartz
Avon
 
How can anyone be sure that the "vandalism" is the act of someone who is pro-beach access? The environmentalists are the ones who must use underhanded tactics to get what they want. Why wouldn't they continue to publicize what the awful ORVers are doing and get the buffer expanded. Win-win for them.

Bill Lankford
Fairplay, Md.

 
How can we be sure that it is not the environmental groups who are doing the vandalism? This agreement works right into their hands -- allowing them the opportunity to vandalize in the dark of night to have the end result being the expansion of the buffer zone. Great incentive for them.

Barb Yingling
Lancaster, Pa.

 
My name is Bill Chilton, and I am resident of Black Mountain, N.C. My family and I have enjoyed visiting the Cape Hatteras National Seashore for years. I had heard of a lawsuit and some more significant beach closures this year. I contacted Midgett Realty this morning to inquire about rentals and more information on the beach closures, and I was directed to this Web site. I cannot begin to tell you how disappointed I am, not only for myself and my family, but also for all those who call Hatteras Island home. Even those of us who call Hatteras home, if only for one week out of the year.

This is a sad day. How did this happen? From what I am reading, it looks like a set-up. I believe the Park Service has tried to close and or severely limit beach access for years. Did someone in the Park Service contact the Audubon Society and suggest the lawsuit? I can't believe the Park Service fought the lawsuit very hard. Did this happen because of apathy or did we all simply believe that they couldn't or wouldn't take our beaches away?
I would love to help the people of Hatteras Island, but I do not believe that I will be renting a cottage from Midgett Realty this season – or buying groceries at the Food Loin in Avon, or tackle, beer, and ice fror the Red Drum in Buxton, or dinners at Buoy’s or Finnegan's in Buxton, or pastries from the Orange Blossom.
 
I'm sure no one will miss me, but I bet I won't be the only one that doesn't make the trip down this year.

Bill Chilton and family
Black Mountain, N.C.
 
 
 
Hurricanes do more damage than 20 years of beach driving. These closures are too big. The methods for determining the size of the closures will soon be under federal investigation. There is no way due process was followed to get us to this point. I have written letters to the governors of North Carolina and Maryland. I have written to the Department of the Interior twice. I took an hour and filled out the workbook and submitted it in time. I support the OBPA. I am currently requesting all files and documentation on this subject from the National Park Service through the Freedom of Information Act, and I urge everyone reading this to do the same. It is time for the silent majority to speak up. Like a normally passive animal I become furious and mean when backed into a corner. I currently feel that we all love the beach access with our vehicles, and I plan to fight it out until the end.

Tim O’Neill
Severna Park, Md.

 
As a native of North Carolina and someone who travels from Florida  twice a year to surf fish on the Outer Banks, I find the new regulations do not balance conservation and access. Elimination of ORVs seem to be the goal of environmental groups -- not protection of wildlife.

Michael Bruce
Ozona, Fla.


What an absolute and total abuse of authority to enact and enforce such unreasonable restrictions on our beaches here in North Carolina. These so-called environmentalists who have brought this upon our park system have shown a complete lack of good faith and common sense in their demands. We have been fishing and shell collecting on these islands for more than 20 years and know that man has had minimal impact upon the creatures of these areas. We also know that the Park Service has been doing an outstanding job providing access and at the same time protecting these areas under the previous measures. We can only pray that enough public outcry will reverse this misguided abuse of power and return these areas back to the original public access for all to enjoy.

David and Barbara Howell
Wilson, N.C.


 
The recent vandalism of closure signs and subsequent closure area expansion gets me thinking. What would our forefathers think? Our rights are being taken away left and right, yet we just stand by and allow it to happen. We all need to write our respective U.S. congressmen and force them to get involved in this issue. We all know that if this issue hit the November ballots, we would win in a landslide. This country was built on the idea of following the majority. It is obvious that we are the majority, so let's ban together and petition our elected officials to stand up for the majority. Let's stop pouting, and let's do something about this atrocity.

Rob Adamson
Akron, Ohio

 
As a vacation property owner in Hatteras, I hope the bird lovers are not using this rule to their advantage. It would certainly be self serving for those who support a wider area of closure to act this way to further their cause. Taking away additional access without proof of the abuser seems biased and reckless. Let's just pick the signs up and put them back in the sand. Let's not let vandalism from whichever side it comes from drive change. I also hope the good people of Hatteras who make their living from the tourists and those who visit this great area are saving their money because people have choices for where they vacation. Take away their reason for going to a particular area, and they will choose other destinations. I had a cancellation e-mail from a renter stating, "Since the beaches are smaller, ORVs will be very close to each other. We may as well go to Daytona for that type of beach experience, where we can day trip to Disney for the kids."
 
There are thousands of beaches in the U.S. where you can walk from your hotel room to a refreshing dip in the ocean, and all are vying for the American vacation dollar. Hatteras has been different in drawing tourists for decades. It's not an amusement park or a Ripley’s Believe It or Not. It's the open space on the beach, a drive at sunset, being able to load up everything you need for a full day at the beach for your family of five in the back of your vehicle and driving to that perfect spot. Please, I urge our lawmakers to consider why people visit the Outer Banks over other areas.

Susan Beard
Atlanta, Ga.

 
I just cancelled my family’s two-week stay in Hatteras. Last year we spent more than $8,000 on the island with our rental, fishing guides, restaurants, etc. The National Park Service will be solely responsible for allowing the destruction of the economy for a few birds and trampling the rights of citizens to enjoy "public" beaches via ORV.
 
Jeff Franklin
Hickory, N.C.

 
I feel I have to respond to what's happening down there. We have been enjoying your little piece of heaven for many years -- vacations and fishing tournaments twice a year in Avon. The beach driving closures are wrong. The fisherman don't hurt the birds, nature does. I also read in one article that the closures were to be expanded because of vandalism of signs. Maybe the fisherman didn't remove the signs.  Maybe it could have been someone who wanted the closures larger.  We clean the beaches when we're down there just because and to protect the natural inhabitants. Please don't let our beaches be closed...

Donna Peel
Hewitt, N.J.


I think that the Parr family is onto something. I think that a class action suit on behalf of young children and senior citizens is in order. They are being deprived of their right to experience the wonder of this recreation area on the basis of age and mobility. When our kids were young, we would take the playpen, highchair, and all their accoutrements out with us in the Jeep and stay all day. Now that we are old and infirm, we need the Jeep to take us out there because we are not able to carry what we need because of the effects of cancer and congestive heart failure. If we can't hang the lawyers, we should use them to help us get our rights back. The birds have their recreation area guaranteed to them -- Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. Why is it difficult to obtain use of our recreation area -- the Cape Hatteras National Recreational Area. It has been my experience that on the beach. the birds of all types almost completely ignore humans anyway. I don't see where driving a vehicle closer than 1,000 yards would disturb them any more that them walking and foraging right next to us on the beach does. It has always been a live and let live situation that all parties seemed comfortable with. It is only when self-appointed "defenders" get into the act that things go wrong and people get deprived of their rights. In the NRA we have seen the same thing, where special interest groups try to take our rights away and legislate through the courts and liberal judges and bypass the Constitution and the legislature. And if that doesn't work, they try making our ammunition illegal because they claim it poisons scavengers and predators. It is all the same people against whom we need to fight -- the pseudo-scientists, the "animal lovers" who are really people haters, and the "tree huggers" who create more paperwork to use up more trees than they save.
 
Bert Smith
Richmond, Va.

 
I can't believe our right to beach access is being eroded to this point. I suppose the next compromise will be limited ORV access by number of vehicles on the beach like they do at Chincoteague and Assateague islands on Maryland and Virginia's Eastern Shore.
 
For every article you publish, please include the names of congressmen and NPS officials we can write to in order to complain about this travesty.

Andy McDonald
Richmond, Va.

 
I hope the people who are vandalizing and destroying markers will realize that this behavior is only making matters worse when time comes to finalize plans on down the road. People need to stay extremely vigilant and report anyone causing any disturbances, including friends and neighbors. Take a cell phone photo, get the license tags, whatever it takes so what little beach is left doesn't shrink into nothing. Keeping the fight legal is the only way to win -- or at least reach a more favorable compromise.

Jim Marshall
Ashland, Va.

 
No driving on the beach from 10 a.m. until 6 a.m.? Does this mean that if you are already on the beach before 10 p.m. and do not drive your vehicle before 6 a.m., you still fish all night? We have a settlement. But mark my words. These bleeding hearts will be back wanting more restrictions. We do not need to give them anything else and probably should take steps to get back what we lost. Remember I said it. These people have nothing to do but push their own agenda, which is the opposite of the sports fisherman.

Randy Cook
Denton, N.C.

 
I may be cynical, but it seems that those aligned with Audubon and the Defenders actually benefit from closure area infractions and acts of vandalism because the birds get more beach. If a surf fisherman observes and reports an infraction, the birds still get more beach. So who's really doing what out there? The enforcement methodology is as one-sided as the "consent" decree, itself.

Alan Bartlett
Chesapeake, Va.


 
Well, here we go -- trouble already. I told my wife it won't be long before someone does something. We don't know who it was. It could have been a fisherman, but I don't think so because they know we will lose more beach. My idea is that it is someone who wants the beach closed for good. They vandals did not hurt the birds, nests, or eggs. We will never know for sure. I'm 60 years old and have fish the beach for 30 years, and now this. May God help us all who love his beach and take care of it.
 
Richard and Brenda Young
Elizabeth City, N.C.

 

So, every time some individual decides to vandalize the bird enclosures, the rest of the beach using public will be punished by losing even more beach access? So how did this little gem find its way into the consent decree? This seems about as sensible to me as a law that says every time someone gets caught speeding on our highways, the posted speed limit will automatically be reduced by 5 mph.
 
Was this bird enclosure vandalized by an enclosure protestor? Or perhaps by an environmental activist seeking to cause more beach to be closed? Who knows.
 
All I know for sure is that, the way the consent decree is written, the big losers in all of this are going to be the general beach-going, law-abiding tax-paying public whose only desire is to continue to enjoy reasonable ORV and pedestrian access in this once wonderful national recreational park, now inexplicably turned into a barricaded wildlife refuge. And the real fallout from it all will be an economic disaster for the hardworking people of the Outer Banks.
 
So sad for all that somehow common sense and reason have been kidnapped and stolen from this entire process.

J.D. Ledbetter
Virginia Beach, Va.

 
Thanks for providing full details of this settlement. What concerns me the most is a big “what if.” Specifically, what if the management plan is successful and the various shorebirds, waterbirds, and sea turtles re-establish in more than small numbers. Under the provisions of this decree and any subsequent NPS plan incorporating its provisions, as the populations grow, the areas closed off will increase accordingly. Under the most successful scenarios, most or all of the beaches could still end up closed, in direct contradiction to the original intent of the acquisition of federal lands for a recreational seashore area. This inconsistency must be addressed in the Reg Neg committee to produce a balanced final plan.
 
What would be desirable for many questioning the Draconian character of Judge Boyle's personal predilection is access to the actual "science" underlying the justification for this decree. This whole episode underlines the high concept/low common sense approach to those who, on one hand, want a managed environment when it suits their own purpose, but also want to embrace "wilderness rules" for the same reason when convenient. Intellectual arrogance and hypocrisy with little common sense -- what's not to dislike? The real solution is to teach the birds to adapt to human presence, just like all the other shorebirds have done quite successfully, as any regular beach dweller knows. I have no problem with protecting the nesting areas for any threatened or endangered species, but there needs to be reasonable limits to those accommodations, something that most environmental regulation sadly lacks.
 
One of the most subversive notions in environmental law is that there exists some particular point in time that constitutes a sort of natural "Eden" and that all the plants and animals existing at that time have a special right to survive, to the extent that competing species from other locales must be reduced or eradicated, when everything we actually know about diversity indicates that habitat niches and species relocation due to natural forces and resultant environmental changes are the rule, not the exception. Survival requires adaptation, and as the most successful predator species in 60-70 million years, we are a major natural force. Consequently, we have a stewardship obligation as well as self-interest as a species to see that our impact on the planet's ecology is mitigated, but the notion that we can or should return areas of the planet to some previous wilderness state is logically flawed and inconsistent with the very "wilderness rules" it supposedly seeks to re-establish.

If we want more piping plovers, then we should attempt to breed them in captivity on, say, Portsmouth Island, with the intent of releasing them into the environment, just like we hatch trout. The fact is, they are dying out because they have failed to adapt, and we need to help them to do so, not lock down our own activities in the vain hope that by creating enough natural nesting habitat that they will somehow hang on. Idealists will shudder, but better stewardship these days does not equal an embrace of "naturalism." The fact is that 99.9 percent of all species that ever have lived on this planet have been extinguished by natural events. We will be one of those events if we don't wake up and understand the implications of our own natural behaviors, as well as cultural assumptions, and the consequent world we are shaping.

Mike Fahey
Frisco

 
I have vacationed down in Buxton since 1983. I have four-wheeled on the beach all those years. I respect the environment as all beach fishermen do and chose to build a house on Cape Point Way in Buxton in 2003, a rental property managed by Outer Beaches Realty. These drastic changes have left me no choice but to put my house up for sale. These changes will bring an end to businesses that have been there for years. I think the night fishing is one of the great features of the Point, and I have taught my two boys to fish on the Point since they were young. People are what’s important to the island’s welfare, not a nest. Birds can adapt to changes, but the towns and the tourism will dry up and be lost forever. I chose to vacation and build a home, pay property taxes in Buxton from Ohio, but now you have forgotten us.

John Romeo
Willoughby, Ohio

 
My family and I have enjoyed vacationing in Hatteras for the last five years. I planned on coming back year after year for many years to come. The obvious attraction to the Outer Banks is beach access for fishing and relaxing on the uncrowded beaches with family and friends.
 
At this point, I can't see canceling my June reservations for this year. However, based on what I am reading with all the limited access issues, this will more than likely be the last trip we will make to the Outer Banks. I suspect many, many others feel the same.
 
The OBX luster is gone. It’s very sad. I feel for the folks trying to make a living in these communities, especially the business owners. The economic impact will certainly be severe.

Mark Harley
Southampton, Pa.


How convenient that the barrier signs were knocked down!  Has anyone considered whether the environmentalists are the ones that knocked down the signs so the closure boundaries would be extended even further?   Before they spread more rumors about the horrid ORV users again, let's consider what tactics they might use to push their cause a little bit further.  I think most ORV users are not about to jeopardize their extremely limited use of the beach as it stands by doing something so stupid that would risk complete closure.  But wouldn't the environmentalists love complete closure?
 
Sharon Everette
Mechanicsville, VA

 
As a former resident of Hatteras Island (1999-2004), I can only say, "Thank God we're out of there." Doesn't anyone have the guts to stand up and say, “Wait a minute, this is a recreational park as it is chartered, not a refuge.” For years we were able to have reasonable limits for birds, and almost everyone respected the turtle nesting areas that were marked off and we all got to use the beach for fishing, swimming, or just lying in the sun. We drove on the beach, respected the limits, and all enjoyed the benefits of one of the most beautiful, tranquil places on earth. Now, it's gone -- ruined by a bunch of people on both sides of the argument who care nothing about balance and good sense. I, for one, will no longer come to Hatteras Island. A way of life is dead. Shame on all of you who have participated in this petty, vindictive war that has cost everyone far too much and will likely cost many people their life savings before it is over.

Mike McAllister
Yardley, Pa.

 
I think it’s a shame that an agreement can’t be reached to resolve this issue. My family would gladly pay to drive on the beach for a week to pay for the staff needed to ensure no wildlife is disturbed. Every year my family has enjoyed the OBX. We are now considering not going back. We have always respected nature and cleaned up the beaches. We even recycle and bring it back to Pennsylvania! Hopefully a reasonable agreement can be reached. Would the conservation people consider having a paid beach pass?

Melissa Smyth
Landenberg, Pa.

 
My family and I have vacationed on the OBX for many years. We love to surf fish and visit the historical sites and the many shops along the way. We will not be coming there this year unless we can fish the Point, South Beach, and some of the other areas that have been closed. I think the OBX are in for some tough financial times. I see a huge loss of income for the businesses and realty companies, and I expect property values to plunge. With gas prices so high now, I need no other convincing to change my vacation plans this year, and with the new rules for the OBX, I may not come back at all. There are other places well worth exploring, where a few don’t ruin it for all.

Mike Saunders
Roanoke, Va.
 
 
My whole family vacations in Avon every year for all three major holidays and have been for the past 15 years just because we can drive on the beach. When you have a child with a disability and have to carry so many accessories just to make her comfortable and to be able to enjoy herself, it really takes the stress out of going to the beach to be able to unload from your vehicle. Maybe there should be a charge for a beach pass. Or maybe there should be a fine for the people who abuse the privileges, a really large fine, and maybe that would send a message out to the rest of the ignorant.

Lori Cattano
Fuquay Varina, N.C.

 
I find it to be a sad state of affairs when we can put the welfare of small birds ahead of the welfare of our fellow human beings. I can't imagine the scope of the impact on the wonderful people of the Outer Banks who have for generations made a living on the surf fishing visitors. My husband and I have reservations for the weekend following Memorial Day and will be visiting as we do three or four times a year. But I fear if the beaches remain closed, we may not return again this year. I feel so badly for those involved in the tourist industry, and I can't believe with all the beaches that have been closed on the East Coast to humans in the interest of the birds that they are still endangered.

Denise Oliff
Warsaw, Va.

 
How is it that a national organization has more power than the local community? Is it money? Because if it is, that is just wrong. Local people are making a living -- not pulling money from all over the country.

Jeremy Payne
Fuquay Varina, N.C.

 
This is not right. Has there ever been a case of the fishermen or vacationers killing birds? You close the beach access for all for the good of a few. That is what are country is coming to. The sportsmen give more to conservation then most of those folks who are against them.

David Baker
Dunkirk, Md.

 
I discovered the Outer Banks from Kitty Hawk to Ocracoke two years ago when I volunteered for six weeks for the National Park Service. My wife and I loved it, especially driving on the beach to fish. We had decided to buy a house, but now I don’t know? I hope they get this ORV thing returned to what it was.

Daniel Wright
Pax, W.Va.

 
I am sorry that this situation has made a lot of people unhappy including myself and my family. We always enjoyed riding on the beach, but I suppose we won't be going this
year to enjoy the ocean. I know it's not the only place to enjoy the ocean, but the scenery was on a totally different level. Mother Nature has a lot to offer, and I'm sure that's not the only place the birds nest on the beach or the turtles.

Susan Powell
Hampton, Va.

 
 
I have been going to the Outer Banks for all three big weekends – Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day for 20 years. We go because the beach is not built up and we can enjoy the natural beauty. There is no reason why we can't co-exist with nature. Closure of the beaches is absurd.

Paula Cattano
Apex, N.C.

 
This is the worst decision I have ever seen! Here is an idea: Let’s cut off the funding for these environmental groups, as well as the National park staff!  I have been coming down to The Outer Banks for seven years. My family enjoys this vacation. So now a way of life which these folks do not understand is taken from us? My advice is to organize as a group and fight this, get the media involved, and investigate the individuals who are driving this. Remember one voice can make a difference. Do not give up the fight!

Ted Schonbrunner
Stewartstown, Pa.
 



Ocracoke’s Community Store reopens

 
I met the new owners this past week. They are great people to talk with. Thanks for great coverage for those of us who wish we could be there (OBX) all the time.

Terrie Hart
Wakertown, N.C.

 
We, too, were so saddened at the "loss" of the store and so hoped that someone would be able to open it again. Thank you  for being those special people. We look forward  to getting over there soon!

Debbie and Dwight Burrus
Hatteras



New family medical practice in Frisco
 
I couldn't be more pleased with Alex's decision to open her new practice! She and Al have always shown genuine concern, consideration, and respect for their patients, so it is wonderful to see them offer a much needed addition to the already good medical services on the island.

It is especially heartening to know that there will be real options for those who have been unable to get the diagnoses and ensuing care they need because of the expense of medical insurance.

Lynne Foster
Hatteras

 
This and the other varied articles of importance to our community is a wonderful service you are performing. Thank you so much. Incidentally, I have already signed up there and will go to Alex Hodges for my annual physical soon. I do miss Carey though.

Barbara Ackley
Buxton

 
Awesome article! I am sure this medical practice will become an essential part of maintaining health and wellness on the island.

Ginger Powell
Greenville, N.C.

 
As Alex’s sister, I can tell everyone she was raised with the values and love that, with her education, will make this a giant success for Frisco. This family is behind her 100 percent. We are proud of you, Alex!

Ellen Meeks
Richmond Hill, Ga.

 
My best wishes to Alex in this venture into the community on Hatteras Island. I am sure there are many here who will benefit from both the format and treatment she will provide. Good Luck, Alex!

Lawrence Cullen
Frisco



New Letters to the Editor....05.12.2008  9:30 am

Beach access issues

These twin girls need your help.  They are Kendal, left, and Krystle Woods, both 7 years old. They have an older sister, Heather, 18.  The three girls are the daughters of Thomas and Anne Woods, and they are a family that depends on the tourist trade for survival. The Woods own and operate the Island-Hide-A-Way Campground in Buxton.   These are just two of hundreds of children who will be hurt as a result of the action of those who desire to close our beaches.
   
Our total way of life, and the economy, is being destroyed on Hatteras and Ocracoke islands as a result of a the decision that was made on a motion filed in U.S. District Court by The Defenders of Wildlife and the National Audubon Society, requesting an injunction to stop beach driving in parts of the Cape Hatteras National Recreation Area.  The National Park Service owns the total beach area on Hatteras and Ocracoke islands.  From all appearances, the judge’s final decision on this injunction will eventually stop beach driving and foot traffic in all of the favorite areas frequented by islanders and tourists.  At the present time in the Buxton area, you can no longer drive on the beach from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. or walk or drive to Cape Point and portions of the South Beach due to bird and turtle enclosures.  There are similar situations at Oregon Inlet and Ocracoke.   The results of this decision are already beginning to take its toll on the families on these islands who depend on the tourist trade and access to the ocean for their survival. 

 What can you do to help? We can pray.

We are told in the Good Book to “Pray for kings, and all who are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life, in all godliness and honesty.”   Please help us by praying that our islands will be able to continue to be a place where people can come to find peace and quiet.  

Ask the Good Lord to touch the hearts of the leaders of these environmental groups to back off demanding more and more of the islands be closed to beach driving and walking.  Pray that the members of these organizations will wake up to what they have done to the economy of these islands.  It is hard for me to understand how anyone could support organizations like these that seem to have little concern for people.  If members of these organizations had any consciences at all, they would be demanding their leaders stop the movement to make Hatteras and Ocracoke nothing more than a bird sanctuary like Pea Island.

Pray that they will become aware of the hardships they have placed on the people on these islands.  As a result of what they have done, businesses are beginning to suffer and individual families are feeling the results.  Businesses have no other alternative but to cut back.  Vacationers are beginning to have second thoughts about coming to Hatteras and Ocracoke.  Many homeowners who depended on rentals to pay the mortgages are in trouble.  Families, on and off the islands, are facing future hardships as a result of what has happened here at the beginning of the tourist season.  Dare County will soon feel the effects. There will be less tax revenue to support the infrastructure and schools.  There is no doubt property values will drop and foreclosures will increase.

Pray that our senators and congressmen who make the laws in Washington will look into this matter and consider changing the law that has to do with the Endangered Species Act.   Until those who govern come to realize that man was given dominion over the birds that fly and the animals that walk, there will be little or no hope left for free and open access to the beach that was promised to the islanders at the time the Cape Hatteras National Recreational Area was instituted. 

In my opinion the dye is cast.  Hatteras and Ocracoke can only look for things to get worse.  It is my feeling that the next thing coming will be a fee and limited number of vehicles allowed to drive what little is left of the beach.  I can also envision the day will come when you will have to pay to walk the beaches of Hatteras and Ocracoke islands.

Dewey and Mary Parr
Owners of the Old Gray House Gift Shop
Buxton


I have been going to the South Point on Ocracoke for years. It's my piece of heaven. Being a single mom, I literally save my coins for my yearly trip. It's the only break I get. I can't begin to tell you how heartbreaking this closure is for me. I am also a NCBBA member and have made sure my son respects this wonderful area. He loves it as much as I do. I can only hope I never run into any members of the Audubon Society, the Defenders of Wildlife, or Judge Boyle. I don't have a mean bone in my body, but lord knows what I may do or say. These people have succeeded in taking away something very precious to me and my son and all for one nest.

Mary Breeden
Virginia Beach, Va.



 Everyone who is upset over the closure of the Cape Point, do not contribute any more money to politicians from either party until someone help us with these idiots.

Carol Dillon
Buxton


 
How does the park service or the parties to this agreement know this vandalism was done by pro-beach driving parties. Might this be the work of those opposed to any beach use? How can one party to an agreement be punished without any evidence of wrongdoing on its part? It seems this agreement is wrought with problems.