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addicted56

addicted56

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Shooting The Breeze - Island Free Press Editor's Blog by Irene Nolan

Looks like we are going to have to add some thought to planning the trip. It looks like we will be able to simply take the class online though and pay for the permit online as well. If not and we have to pick up a permit in person it could drastically change the route of this years STR.

Though the additional costs are probably nothing compared to the price in fuel we all pay for this trip, the principals behind it are disturbing. I've already had one altercation with the department of Agriculture this year...hopefully I don't have to do it again.
 
Yep, I posted an earlier article in the STR section. The assumption is a weekend pass will be about 2/3 the price of the year long pass. The last number I saw was a year pass was going to be ~$120... So, it will be an expensive pass nonetheless...
 
Just found this announcement this morning...

The special regulation requires visitors to have an ORV special use permit to operate a vehicle on the designated ORV routes at the seashore. ORV permits can be obtained beginning February 15th at any of the three NPS permit offices located at Coquina Beach, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Visitor Center (Buxton), and the Ocracoke Visitor Center. These offices will be open year-round, seven days a week (except Christmas Day), from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with expanded hours on weekends and holidays during the summer season. The cost of an annual ORV permit (valid for the calendar year) is $120. The cost for a 7-day ORV permit (valid from the date issued) is $50.
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Cape Hatteras National Seashore - Off Road Vehicle Use (U.S. National Park Service)

So, now we know...
 
Pretty steep. Wonder if a dime will be used to fight beach closure :rolleyes:
 
I dont know... I have mixed feelings about it. Growing up around these beaches my whole life it used to be just the old school fisherman and their old Wagoneers and Broncos on the beaches. It was odd to even think about someone driving on the beach. Nowadays they are packed with jacked up F-350s, Escalades, and whatever else is 4WD, plus the drivers who don't give a s*** about these places that are from all over the place, hardly any locals. I feel that the majority of us (IH8MUD) respect NC beaches and places that grant us 4WD access. It sucks for us who care about that place, but its become such a popular tourist destination, that they have to regulate it somehow.

Just googled "oregon inlet stuck" images. Some people should not be driving on NC beaches.
 
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NCjeff said:
I dont know... I have mixed feelings about it. Growing up around these beaches my whole life it used to be just the old school fisherman and their old Wagoneers and Broncos on the beaches. It was odd to even think about someone driving on the beach. Nowadays they are packed with jacked up F-350s, Escalades, and whatever else is 4WD, plus the drivers who don't give a s*** about these places that are from all over the place, hardly any locals. I feel that the majority of us (IH8MUD) respect NC beaches and places that grant us 4WD access. It sucks for us who care about that place, but its become such a popular tourist destination, that they have to regulate it somehow.
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They (NPS) were charged with regulating it over 35 years ago, and crapped the bed. So now, only after closing a huge chunk of the beach access out due to getting caught with their pants down, this is the answer??

I feel what you are saying, but I don't think for a second this is the cure for what you speak of. It punishes the masses for the sins of a few. JMO - hope that didn't come off as too argumentative.

:beer: R
 
Its a Federal Tax for visiting the beach. Not a dime will be spent to keep it open but to collect more of the tax. It won't take long before a path will be created to drive down with ropes to stop anyone from going to far off the path. Then, for only $150, you'll be able to sit in a simulator with real, simulated sea spray blown in your face as the live web-cam shows on the 3D big screen for the experience of driving on the beach. They'll sell packets of real OBX sand to sprinkle in your shoes so you can re-live the experience days later...
 
mtweller said:
They (NPS) were charged with regulating it over 35 years ago, and crapped the bed. So now, only after closing a huge chunk of the beach access out due to getting caught with their pants down, this is the answer??

I feel what you are saying, but I don't think for a second this is the cure for what you speak of. It punishes the masses for the sins of a few. JMO - hope that didn't come off as too argumentative.

:beer: R
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Not at all. It goes back to the old saying, "a few bad apples spoil the bunch". I think the OBX has become extremely popular over the years. Almost too popular. I don't know what the solution is or could be. I have been going there since the 80s, and the place is amazing BUT I cringe when I go there during the summertime. Then I think of those out of town tourist driving all over the beaches and not caring about the area. I completely agree that the responsible people who care about that area are losing. Not many places left that you can drive on the beach. Any where around Wilmington, it's super pricey for a very limited area.

:beer::beer::beer:
 
I don't know what the solution would be.... the NPS over here seems ready to shut anything down that any hippie complains about. Back home it is completely opposite. Pismo gets way more traffic every year and would have way more "bad apples" due to all the camping, partying and alcohol that to goes along with the tons of quads out there and i've never once heard of it being in danger of being shut down. The community of pismo is behind beach access all the way.
It seems the community OBX is also behind beach access but maybe there isn't actually enough "locals" to do much about it. It seems most reisdences are multi million dollar vacation homes that are only worried about the beaches being private and since they are situated on the beach they don't have to worry about driving on it.

I'm getting sick about everything getting closed out here. I imagine in a few short years Uwharrie might be the only place in the entire state to get off of pavement and then who knows?? :frown:
 
I understand the logic of a "few bad apples" but that is a cop-out. The NPS has avoided developing a management plan for the sea-shore for decades; and they have always had enforcement capabilities for existing regulations. They seemingly chose to not develop a plan, and not enforce the regulations.

The first time I drove on the BRP 20-some yrs ago, someone told me "do not speed" and I still don't. It's a federally-managed road, like the sea-shore is federal. Federal penalties for breaking rules are much more severe than state and local. Imagine if the NPS had enforced rules and made examples of people: word would spread like wildfire among locals and visitors. Instead, they've done nothing.

As much as I don't like the rules about alcohol, the same thing happens at URE and the NPS & NFS campgrounds - they only enforce the drinking rules when people get rowdy. One day, this can be used as an excuse to shut all that down - because they did not do the job they are paid by us to do.

In the OBX case, the wrong people are being punished for the wrong reasons, and the people who enjoy and respect the resource in the proper way are being double-taxed. That is why this all stinks so bad.
 
lt1fire said:
I don't know what the solution would be.... the NPS over here seems ready to shut anything down that any hippie complains about. Back home it is completely opposite. Pismo gets way more traffic every year and would have way more "bad apples" due to all the camping, partying and alcohol that to goes along with the tons of quads out there and i've never once heard of it being in danger of being shut down. The community of pismo is behind beach access all the way.
It seems the community OBX is also behind beach access but maybe there isn't actually enough "locals" to do much about it. It seems most reisdences are multi million dollar vacation homes that are only worried about the beaches being private and since they are situated on the beach they don't have to worry about driving on it.

I'm getting sick about everything getting closed out here. I imagine in a few short years Uwharrie might be the only place in the entire state to get off of pavement and then who knows?? :frown:
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I'm in agreement with this. I'd guess there a many "homeowners" very happy with the restrictions by the NPS. Their beach access property rental "value" just went up dramatically. I'd also guess that very few of these homeowners live and/or make a living on the OBX other than their rental property. As long as the food/drink businesses stay open, they will be happy.

While I also agree with the Pismo premise, its only different due to the plowing plover. Once the rare and endangered "X" species pops up at Pismo, it will be a different ball game. That's the game changer the NPS needs to get all the money/support/sympathy needed to restrict access. It won't be until human's (and their livelyhoods) have the same rights as the plowing plover will things change...
 
Mtbcoach said:
I'm in agreement with this. I'd guess there a many "homeowners" very happy with the restrictions by the NPS. Their beach access property rental "value" just went up dramatically. I'd also guess that very few of these homeowners live and/or make a living on the OBX other than their rental property. As long as the food/drink businesses stay open, they will be happy.

While I also agree with the Pismo premise, its only different due to the plowing plover. Once the rare and endangered "X" species pops up at Pismo, it will be a different ball game. That's the game changer the NPS needs to get all the money/support/sympathy needed to restrict access. It won't be until human's (and their livelyhoods) have the same rights as the plowing plover will things change...
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Well yes and no.... there are many "endagered birds there up and down the coast that RV camps on the beach encroach upon but have not been shut down. The only one I can think of was one bird near UC santa barbara and just a part of the beach has been roped off but you can still walk and play anywhere up to the line.

I should also add that pismo is a pay per day or per weekend type of thing, which has never bothered me. But the main difference is you can camp out there so it isn't really an extra cost and they aren't as steep as the ones proposed in OBX. :mad:

well
 
UNFORTUNATELY...
I think its going to be another one of those, " I remember the good ol days when you could drive on the beach". Kind of things. Maybe I'm used to it. I've seen it happening around Hatteras for awhile and even down here in Wilmington. I remember the good ol days when you could drive all over Kure Beach and the north end. No pass, no ropes blocking you off. Now those places are so boring, 2 lane road down the beach.
Is Pismo privately owned? I'm guessing no way. Never been there, but would LOVE to check it out. I think the north end of C.B. is privately owned.
 
Yeah, the north end of CB used to be wide open, and maybe 4-5 trucks. Now it's a free for all, with every Jeep and Tahoe owner up there.

It's funny, it used to be free and no one was up there... now you have to pay and it's packed!

Probably be the same way at OBX... Then Audubon will have a cow, sue, and then shut it totally down...
 
This is hard to say because Oregon is one of the most restrictive places and the liberals and environmentalists out there are none like you have ever experienced in your life.

Even though this day I gave two Dept. AG ( I don't see any crops being grown in the dunes) guys a piece of my mind in a very politically correct manner we still have 70+ miles of unrestricted dune and beach access and not a sole in sight for miles at a time. If the weather is bad maybe nobody all day. Here is a couple days before Christmas on the 4 wheelers. Besides Hwy 101 (which we could easy just hop over and nobody would notice) we can ride on BLM land from the edge of the coastal mountain range in the Elliot Forrest out our back door to the beach and it is no issue. Sadly I see this east coast crap coming to a beach near us soon. I'm not sure what the key is but maybe some east coasters could take some cues from those on the west coast. I'm not sure if it a population issue, use issue, or overall mentality and toughness of those out west not to put up with s*** but what ever it is they are doing something right out there. I wish I could be more helpful and give an answer of what would save the east coast.

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