Driving on the beach

Another short blog day...I worked late today and am about out of gas. The latest gossip on the bridge replacement project is that the road will reopen very soon. The official update on the NCDOT website shows the project at 93% complete, so the rumors may actually be true. When the road reopens, there will be no more required driving on the beach.

Many people, of course, like driving on the beach and choose to do so even when it's not required. That privilege has often been debated and is currently threatened again. Here's the latest info. I have on this topic, from an email I received a couple of days ago.

"Southern Environmental Law Center, Defenders of Wildlife and the Audubon Society announced today (2/20/08) that they had filed suit in the Federal Court of Eastern North Carolina over the NPS management of beach driving on Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area. They contend that the Negotiated Rule making process is too slow and immediate action to restrict ORV access is needed to protect endangered species and migratory birds. They want a new beach driving plan in place for the 2008 breeding season. What will happen next is anybody's guess. We will have to see how the NPS reacts to the suit."(copied from the Outer Banks Preservation Association)

In the suit, the plaintiff is requesting that Bodie Island Spit, Cape Point, South Beach, Hatteras Spit, North Ocracoke, and South Ocracoke be closed to all ORV traffic (except essential vehicles) 24h/day year round. Also mentioned for closures are specific areas from ramp 59 to ramp 72 for colonial waterbirds until a final regulation on ORV use is in place or until the ongoing litigation is done. Pedestrian use will not be limited during this time, but with this much of Ocracoke closed and both points closed, I do not think, many folks are going to carry their surf boards and fishing gear too far out or have much space to fish or surf since they will be only located by the parking lots.

Please email, call, and write your congress and representatives and let them know what ORV beach access means to you, your family, your economy, and your enjoyment here on Ocracoke.
Please see the following links for more information and copies of the injunction.

NCBBA at http://www.ncbba.org/
OBPA at http://www.obpa.org/
Island Free Press at http://www.islandfreepress.org/


Drive safely, wherever you are...