Junking Up the Beaches

... or laser zappers...

SheSurfs wrote:

As far as I know, there are no more four-wheelers that are with BP unless there has been a report of oil. I know the park biologist Ann, is there a few times a day to check nests, as is Ryan who works under the superintendent. There have been a team of biologists from the state around the last couple of weeks but they have been on foot.

What the heck is the deal with the wrecking of your place, Stormy? Mind me asking if it's a house or a condo?

No problem. I have a huge gulf front home right by the main access. It's extremely popular with the locals for showers, tourists for trampling the dunes.

I see the sheriff's office constantly running up and down the beach, but they are really slow to respond to a local complaint.

They have told me on occasion that they can't upset the tourists. One memorable occasion was when the people next door were blowing firecrackers nearly off my deck. They came, but did nothing.

I'm the last one to try and curtail the tourist trade as I need them to support my white elephant, but don't understand why we would need additional support.

From what I've seen the constant patrolling of the beach could be great if they would not be so limited in their scope.

Shoot some of those n'er-do-wells. You'll get some serious attention then!

Maybe a scare crow...A redneck with a rebel flag will keep those Yankees off your dunes..

TEOTWAWKI wrote:

Maybe a scare crow...A redneck with a rebel flag will keep those Yankees off your dunes..

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Now, why didn't I think of that?

Good to see you here!

stormwatch89 wrote:

TEOTWAWKI wrote:

Maybe a scare crow...A redneck with a rebel flag will keep those Yankees off your dunes..

\\

Now, why didn't I think of that?

Good to see you here!

Or dress up one of your hounds like a Baskerville look a like and spread rumors of bodies torn limb to limb in your dunes.

Or post some of seaoats writings around your property and all the liberals will be entranced reading them and will leave charmed and unable to do further damage.

Stormy, one solution is more beach access points with properly constructed boardwalks, showers and bath houses with proper trash receptacles …but then draconian enforcement and fines for leaving trash, beach furniture, trampling the dunes or disturbing wildlife or nests. I tend to think that would eliminate some of the problems you are talking about.

With a small place on the beach (and I bounce around with the ethics of that ownership) that has many of the issues that you do as well, I'm coming to a new position in regards to our beaches.

My son (who thinks property should only have been developed landward of beach roads..wish he had been around thirty years ago) and I are working on an idea (in addition to what I mentioned above), in which all land a few feet seaward of a building including the primary and secondary dune lines would be given national refuge status. That would mean no one could walk on most dunes giving them a chance to rebuild and giving wildlife an undisturbed place to nest, rest and feed without the threat of humans or pets (I have four dogs so yes, challenging). Everything seaward would remain public and accessible.

The only beach access would be via marked paths or boardwalks. Only native vegetation plantings would be permitted on any land, privately owned or not, and use of fertilizers would be prohibited. If a protected species nested on the property, that area could be staked off and monitored for the duration of the nest.

Many moons ago, the US Navy got tired of folks living on NAS Mainside and they developed Navy Point for those people to live upon.

The Navy did just what SheSurfs suggests... left the property seaward of the roads undeveloped. With paved trails, park areas, launch ramps, this is one of the most people-friendly areas in Escambia County.

It's NOT all tourists that are destroying things... One of the cops watched kids throw bottles off of the pier and smoke pot.. I asked him about it and he said "if I arrest them, daddy will have them out of jail before I get off work. I already arrested them twice".

Eric, this is a recipe given to me by one of the best navy cooks I've known..  He cooked awesome soups.  He retired in 1993 and was hired as the head chef at the MGM Grand in Vegas..  He left after 6 months because it was the same thing over and over..  Now, he just cooks for his wife...  :-)

Minced beef for 100 servings.  I think dividing by 10 would be good for a few meals or it can be frozen..

Ground beef, 90% lean 20 lbs
Fresh chopped onions 2 1/8 lbs
Wheat flour 2 1/8 lbs
Canned crushed tomatoes 19 7/8 lbs INCLUDING liquid
Ground Mace 3/8 oz (Can substitute with nutmeg)
Salt 1 1/4 oz
Black ground pepper 1/8 oz

Cook beef with onions until beef loses it's pink color, stirring to break apart. Drain or skim off excess fat.
Sprinkle flour over beef, continue cooking until flour is absorbed.
Add tomatoes, mace, salt, and pepper. Stir well and simmer 10-15 minutes..
Minced beef can be served over toast, biscuits, rice, or pasta. I always put it on top of my fried eggs and broke the yolks..

She, it all sounds good, but really doesn't work. I'm on an access and my tenants still prefer to trample the dunes. Yes, despite sand fencing to inhibit same.

I've fought the beach for years and it's a no win. We put up a walkover years ago and wound up defending our right to do so because a couple on Maldonado said we blocked their view!

Until things change and the powers that be realize we now pay taxes and are basically now landowners, the situation is dim.

TEOTWAWKI wrote:

stormwatch89 wrote:

TEOTWAWKI wrote:

Maybe a scare crow...A redneck with a rebel flag will keep those Yankees off your dunes..

\\

Now, why didn't I think of that?

Good to see you here!

Or dress up one of your hounds like a Baskerville look a like and spread rumors of bodies torn limb to limb in your dunes.

Or post some of seaoats writings around your property and all the liberals will be entranced reading them and will leave charmed and unable to do further damage.

I've got a hound dog. You can borrow her. I think a good solution to the problem would be to simply post signs on the beach saying any personal goods, beach umbrellas included, will be collected overnight by a clean up crew and donated to charity for resale.
Then do it for a few days. There really is no reason to let this problem continue.
You're beach spot is only yours while you're sitting on it. When you're gone, it belongs to the public again.

SheSurfs wrote:

Joani, I kid you not, I have four of these….got them from one of my grandmothers at some point.

My granny has a full "set" of these. My mom calls them "juice glasses" and I never questioned that until this very moment.