August 2009 Letters to the Editor |
|
New Letters to the Editor....08.26.2009 11:50 am
Beach Access and Park Issues
About the story on rescuing baby turtles from Hurricane Bill: I am so pleased to read this article! A few weeks ago I was down in Salvo and saw a few of the turtle nest locations. I came back again right after Bill came through and saw they were all washed away! I was pretty bummed about seeing the nests destroyed, but this article gave me hope that a lot of the turtles survived! Thanks for all of your hard work. Amalie Smith Stafford, Va. Regarding the rescues from the island off Cape Point on Friday, Aug. 14: If I was not in the right place at the right time that Friday afternoon, the fellow I swam out to and took to the island would have been dead! People, you need to wake up out there! A few sea shells are certainly not worth dying for. Kevin McCabe Buxton It seems that theRamp 23 incidents seem to have gotten into the realm of "beating a dead horse." Since penalties for us all seem to have run out, why don't we call it even and start over? Or better yet, reduce the closure for each of the next four incidents. That would make it fair for all of us who have not driven in the closed area. It seems that the guilty parties are not inclined to turn themselves in and NPS in unable to solve the case so let the (the impasse) continue with a reset. I really don't care since breeding season is over and most of the tourists have either been or stayed away anyway. Bert Smith Richmond, Va. After reading thousands and thousands of comments regarding the beach closures on many different Web sites, I only recall one or two comments from folks who think this plan was a good idea. It's not working! Keith McCabe Newport Coast, Calif. Full moon tour of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse How incredibly lovely! I hope someday to share that experience. Thank you for including this article! S. Frances Price Summersville, W.Va. The great Gulf Stream kayaking adventure This was a great story with great pictures and it seems to be a lot of fun. Never tried fishing in a kayak, just surf fishing. I hope to be able to experience this type of fishing someday while in Hatteras. I'm in the process of wanting to buy a kayak I can fish out of, if anyone who knows anything about kayaks, especially the ones that are shown in this story, please let me know what they are called and how much they cost. I would appreciate this info. What a different way to experience ocean fishing and to be so up close to the fish itself. No motor or high tech gadgets, just a little kayak, fishing pole and man vs. fish, just how it should be. Kurt Maschmeier Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio Dare County schools excel in testing I brought my daughters up on the Outer Banks, and they both attended schools here. Many thanks to our teachers and the communities that support our school events. Just one more reason we are blessed to live here. Jeannie Maynard Kill Devil Hills Richard Gere and ‘Nights in Rodanthe’ (This letter is about Donna Barnett’s photo of Richard Gere that accompanied an article by the editor, “Stalking Richard Gere,” when he was here to film “Nights in Rodanthe” in 2007. See the article at http://www.islandfreepress.org/2008Archives/06.09.2008-NightsInRodantheWillBeInATheaterNearYouOnOct3.html0) Hello, Donna, you are very lucky! So close to Richard Gere! I've seen him once at Brussels airport where I work! Probably once in a lifetime! I also love the novels of Nicholas Sparks. They make life more beautiful and romantic. It is my dream to visit North Carolina once. Many greetings. Carine Lelievre Leuven, Belgium Jimmy Buffet driving the seashore beaches We love JB and I'm sure his "job" has its good days and bad just like most of us. Main difference is that he has got a great job and salary to do what he wants. We have been going to the Outer Banks for about 25 years, and my kids love it there. It would have been neat to see him, but we do go in the summer. Love Ocracoke -- it's always reminded me of a very laid back mini Key West. Cheers to JB. Will see him at Nissan in Virginia on Sept. 3. Jane Spence Point of Rocks, Md. New Letters to the Editor....08.19.2009 11:50 am Beach Access and Park Issues It is very disturbing to learn of the policy about leash laws. We have been visiting the area and renting beautiful rentals right on the beach. We have brought our dogs there since 1990 (almost every year). We have Labrador retrievers and they love to swim. Our dogs are very well trained and have attained many obedience titles. An avid birder, I realize the importance of protecting shorebirds' nests, but just as there are many irresponsible people in the world, there are just as many educated, responsible dog owners. Perhaps you should be more cautious with the teens who disrespect nature and have no clue as to the whole picture. We traveled there last year even though we knew that many great beach areas were closed due to the federal ruling and did find a few places where we could be alone with our dogs. Quite ironically, we were toying with the idea of visiting late September, but now we may just abandon any hopes of venturing there again. We have been visiting the Outer Banks since 1978, but those were pre-dog days, so as you may be able to tell, we are a mature couple who respect nature, but our dogs are our life and their access to the ocean is important to us. It’s so very sad that the new laws are turning tourists away. We may never visit again. We have spent much time and money there in the last 30 years. We will miss what always had been our dream vacations, but it is not worth driving 12 hours to have so many restrictions. You wanted comments but these are my feelings about what used to be our most favorite place in the whole world. A sad former tourist Nancy Chepan Burlington, Conn. (Editor’s Note: The regulations for leashing pets on the beach have not changed. Park officials announced earlier this year that there would be a focus on increased compliance with the existing regulation that requires dogs to be leashed at all times.) About the new volunteer nest watch program for turtles nests on the seashore: It is just amazing that the Park Service looks to the public (to whom they are denying access) to continue their work and responsibilities. The "law enforcement officers" could easily be trained to do this job, and they would finally be doing something constructive besides issuing traffic and other nefarious tickets. They might even see some vandals who feed the gulls or burn down buildings. Larry Cullen Buxton Hooray! The South Point is open and just in time for my vacation. My friends and I are heading to Ocracoke from Virginia Beach, and I'm coming up from Wilmington, N.C. Last year we didn't get to enjoy the South Point, but this year is looking good. Pat Breeden Wilmington, N.C. I'm glad to hear that Cape Point reopened. I was down in early May and July, and it was closed. Trying to find a good fishing spot was tough, and when you did find a good spot, it would get over crowded quickly. I have vacationed and fished on Hatteras Island my whole life, and my family and I have always respected its beaches and wildlife and have always had a great time. We all need to learn to coexist, just like we do as humans. We also have to live among the birds and all wildlife. All it takes is one or two people to ruin it for everyone and cause more beach closures by vandalizing signs and nests or hurting the birds themselves. I feel that, for the most part, people respect the beautiful nature that surrounds them on the island, but I'm sure there's a few that don't. Let's all work together to preserve this great barrier island so generations to come can enjoy it. So to those who "hate" the birds, don't hate them but try to be understanding and realize they to have the rights to the island and for the most part stay out of the way. The animals don't make the laws. Humans do! Kurt E. Maschmeier Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio (This is a copy of a letter to Mike Murray, superintendent of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.) Dear Mike Murray: We have experienced two years under the consent decree. What have we learned from this grand experiment conducted by the Audubon Syndicate? We have learned that: 1) There has been no benefit to wildlife. 2) The monetary cost to society has been well over a million dollars. 3) Economic losses have occurred to island businesses especially motels, campgrounds, restaurants, and tackle shops. 4) More than 1,000 four-legged mammals have been slaughtered under the guise of predator control(since 2002). These same animal species were to be protected by this park's Enabling Legislation. 5) The public has been turned away and denied access to its recreational area. 6) Internal park policies have usurped congressional statutes of law. 7) A majority of the populace and visitors to the islands have developed a deep-seated animosity toward the Park Service and many of its employees. 8) It is apparent that the process was never about wildlife protection. This was just a continuation of the Defenders of Wildlife's program to remove ORVs from all federal lands. 9) The decree destroyed any chance for success of Reg-Neg. Don't you think it is time to tell Judge Boyle the truth and ask him to repudiate the consent decree? Bob Davis Buxton Guest Column: It takes a village to raise a fisherman In the same way I'm happy to pay more for a Black Angus steak from Harris-Teeter, I would be happy to pay a premium for Cape Hatteras fish or shellfish---and to buy it exclusively. I don't buy any fish any more without knowing where it was caught. Judy Latham Raleigh, N.C. A new fire hall for Ocracoke Good luck guys. Looks very good. Y’all be safe. Tex Melton Washington, N.C. Caroline’s island bookshelf for kids It was fun to read all about the books that Caroline enjoyed. Matilda has always been a favorite of my family. I hope she continues to write about the books she loves. Carol Pahl Ocracoke Ocracoke live oaks suffering from scale disease The oak scales are bad in Buxton this year too. I am very concerned after seeing the dead branches, the many mature female scales on the trees, and the articles available on the Internet that suggest mosquito control programs may be killing the natural predators of the scale and thus the recent large outbreaks in Georgia, Florida, and Virginia. The articles also suggest pesticides are not more than 50 percent effective in killing the populations on any given tree. See http://joa.isa-arbor.com/request.asp?JournalID=1&ArticleID=197&Type=2 Charley Pereira Buxton Moving the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse It's been 10 years! Wow, I remember the T-shirts for "Don't move the light house." Drove past it and realized that the path that was cut has grown back over pretty good and the rest is now a parking lot. Alexy Abdo Frisco The future of the Frisco Pier is unclear Our hearts are broken! We have been spending our vacations on the Outer Banks since ‘94, and staying in Frisco for the last five years. We were usually there for the entire month of September and spent countless days and nights on the Frisco pier. I usually get up at 5 a.m. and after some news and a cup of coffee, I head straight to the pier. (Hmmm…What am I going to do now till she gets up?) I enjoyed hanging out at the pier, countless sessions with Dominic and Jack from Outer Beaches. Dave the painter must be suicidal. I’m sure going to miss it this year. Jack O’Rourke Villas, N.J. I suggest asking for donations to fix the pier. An e-mail address and Website could be set up (I'll do it!) for it. I love the Frisco Pier. I've been going there ever since I was little and wanted to cry when I came to Frisco and saw it in shambles. SAVE THE PIER! Daisy May Philadelphia, Pa. Two summers on Hatteras have been a special experience My husband, son and I have been blessed to have been able to spend the last two summers here in the Outer Banks. We have really come to feel as if Avon is our “second home.” From the very first day we arrived last summer, we were welcomed by this community with open arms. We have met the friendliest, kindest, most giving people of anywhere we have traveled. Living here in Avon these last two summers has been a wonderful experience. It is the people here that have made the experience such a positive one. During the last two summers we have come to know several in the community and made some very dear friends. This is a very unique place. The beauty of this place will always amaze us, and the people here will always be close in our hearts. Thank you to Frank and Fran’s for always having “just what we need” and helping teach us about how to rig up a pole! Thanks to all our friends who work at Avon Pier, and all the folks we met out on the pier fishing. Thanks to Bob for helping Spencer learn to fish, and to Rick for encouraging him to get out there and fish on the end for his first shark and for helping him get the first big one in. Thanks for snorkeling and spear fishing. Thank you so much to Dr. Slagle and staff for helping Dean with his emergency even though it was right at lunch time. We appreciated it so much! Renee and April, thank you for being so accommodating in helping us see the houses we wanted to see. Thanks to the gal at Daydreams who helped me try on almost everything in her shop to help me find the right dress. Thanks t Monica at “Hair by the Sea” for helping me with my “hair emergency,” and I love it, by the way. Thanks to Oceana’s for all the great tacos and to Kristy for waiting on us with a smile and not being upset when we order 24 tacos right before closing. We sure will miss those Taco Tuesdays back home. We will miss the friendly faces we met at the pools -- Gail, Katherine, Barb, Karen, and Pat. Thanks, Pat, for introducing us to Anglers Club Bingo. Karen, we will miss you, and I am sure you will miss Dean’s scuba antics. Thanks to everyone at Café 12. We love the flats, and I am sure you will miss us showing up at 8:30 p.m. Thanks for making us feel welcome and serving us with a smile (even at 8:30). Thanks to Toppers for all the nights of entertaining music and laughter with friends and yummy pizza and calzones. We will miss the great food at Nino’s (love the cannolis) and Avon Café along with Sunday brunch at the Inn at Pamlico Sound. We will miss being able to get up and go to the harbor for fresh shrimp right off the boat and those beautiful sunsets on the sound and the warm sunshine on our faces and the sound of the ocean waves crashing. We will be sure to think of those times when the snow is blowing outside and it is below freezing in Ohio. To all our dear friends at Healtheast Family Care in Avon and Hatteras, where Dean worked as a physician’s assistant. We love you all and thank you so much for making us feel at home here. Thanks for showing us the island and allowing us to be a part of your family. You all are missed when we are back home more than you know, and we think of you all throughout the year until we can come back again. A special thanks to Sandra and Bentley Crabtree for your friendship and kindness. You are the best! By the way, be sure to visit Ohio so we can return the favor and “show you the ropes” on OUR home turf! Dean, Deb, and Spencer Parsons Mansfield, Ohio New Letters to the Editor....08.10.2009 11:45 am Beach Access Issues
I would like to relate my family's experience on the week of July 12. We are annual visitors to Buxton and environs for the last 30-plus years. Four of us usually stay in the Cape Point campgrounds in tents. We added some this year and totaled eight people. The first thing I would like to say is that the park ranger we had the most contact with was like almost all rangers - friendly, courteous, helpful and overall nice. One of his supervisors stopped by one day and was the same. Please do realize that we follow all rules, both of the campground and the recreation area, so they have no problems from us, which keeps all of our relations friendly. We missed having someone at the campground building and hope that it is rebuilt and staffed next year, it would have been helpful for someone to explain the fact that half the sites were closed, but we made do anyway. Our stay was marred by the fact that just about all the good places to fish were closed due to the idiotic court ruling. Our adult children introduced three of their friends to the area and the joys of playing in the wild surf. They understand why we are helping in the fight to reclaim the beaches. The last day we were there the area near Hatteras village was opened to ORVs, but we had made other plans and the surf was up too high to fish anyway. It saddens me greatly that so many businesses were closed or closing due to the people haters and their judge, and I was glad to see so many old friends still here and still in business. We will return next year and hope that we will be allowed to fish the Point and the inlet again. Thanks to all who made this year what it was. Bert Smith Richmond, Va. The letter Bob Davis wrote about the consent decree (Letters for Aug. 3) says it all. Amen, brother! Rob McCauley Stuarts Draft, Va. About the opening of Cape Point: It's about time. Now I can plan my vacation to the Outer Banks and do my part stimulate economy. Hope to see you soon. James Taylor Wake Forest, N.C. I must have missed the memo. When folks tell me they're coming to Virginia Beach for vacation, my response is, "Why would anyone come here on purpose?" The signs for what you CAN'T do on the beach are a mile wide and just as high. I recently read a comment (about the seashore) that says something about NOT napping in a beach chair. Is this for real? It's bad enough that I'll probably be denied access to the South Point again this year, but no napping on the beach? As far as feeding the sea gulls, heck, as soon as you open a package of nabs they swoop down. AARRRGGHHHH! Would someone please give me a link for the new rules/restrictions so I'll know ahead of time what I'm not allowed to do before I hit the beach on the Aug. 13. I'd appreciate it. Can I blow bubbles? M. Breeden Virginia Beach, Va. (Editor’s note: Information about ORV operation on seashore beaches and on other rule can be found at http://islandfreepress.org/2008Archives/08.11.2008-ORVInformationBrochure.pdf) Outer Banks Angling: Exploring the islands by kayak What a great video! We're coming down the end of August and definitely plan on visiting Outer Banks Angler. I've been coming down there for almost 40 years and have never tried kayaking. It looks like so much fun!! Just another great thing to do with your family at the best place on earth. Jessie Glovier Pittsburgh, Pa. Hatteras village shipwreck I was just in Hatteras village on vacation with my family in the last week of July. When I was on a walk with my mom on the beach, we came across this shipwreck, and we had tons of questions about it. The only part we could see, however, was a little wood and some nails. After finding this article I am amazed! I would have never guessed that it was buried that much under the sand! I was so excited after reading your article. It answered so many questions and quenched my curiosity. Lauren Dwyer Mill Hall, Pa. Peeking under the Lighthouse Jetty Great photos. Thanks for the fun view! Mike McGuire Gaithersburg, Md. New Letters to the Editor....08.03.2009 11:20 am
|
2009 Previous Letters to the Editor
July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 Please see the Archives Pages for Previous Years
|
  |