Hatteras Island in distress

Hi,

Great Vid, I hope it doesn't contravene the rules re politics.

It is a sad example of how these days a misguided lot of PC do gooders ( The Federal Judge included) can manipulate the system to the disadvantage and detriment of others without the need to verify and prove their claims with science not gossip.

I watched the west end of Dune Rd. in Westhampton turn from a beautiful, natural landscape with only a smattering of disposable cabanas to a line of multi-million dollar vacation homes. Westhampton Dunes. When this barrier beach goes through its normal changes I now get to pay for the sand to be replenished to protect those homes. When new inlets appear I get to pay to close them. When those homes get wiped out I get to pay for their rebuilding. I remember taking long walks along that beach, dodging the plovers and sand pipers by swinging a towel over my head if I happened too close to their nests. My heart doesn't bleed for some guy who will have to walk the beach, but in the end will find solitude in an unspoiled spot with great surfcasting. In fact, I wouldn't mind doing it myself, except that my access is now blocked. My heart doesn't bleed for a rich guy who can't lock up the beach for only his enjoyment. My heart does bleed for species that face extinction due to our greed. Those people worried about their businesses should remember what drew those customers to that area in the first place.
Barrier beaches are natures favor to us. They protect the mainland. Anybody who chooses to live or work there should understand that anything built there has an obligation to blend in, not take over. He should also pay his own bills and not bemoan his situation when his structure disappears to nature. The wise man doesn't build on shifting sands.
When I lived in south Florida the worst part of that was that I couldn't take a ride along the coast and see unspoiled beaches; only condos and mansions. Mark my vote for the plover.

Hi,

Ed, My understanding of the Video was that the beach was closed to All People at All Tides - No walking , surfcasting nor swatting Plovers away.

The video also says that there has been an increase in vegetation there which has drawn the Plovers closer to the sea when they used to nest successfully back from the sea on semi open ground before the area changed.

I am a fairly keen and experienced off road driver myself, in little ole NZ there are many fine places to drive on the beach that are no longer accessible to normal people owing to an over zealous PC Brigade.

Did you notice in the vid that what brought it all about was a guy who didn't think the rules and safeguards applied to him. I especially got a kick out of the guy comparing himself to the Native Americans who were driven off their ancestral lands which they never raped or spoiled nor took as their private property. The developers destroyed that island as they did Westhampton; making these sort of places the private domain of the privileged few. Now their greed has taken them to a place where someone stood up and not only brought them back to the position they were in before the violation, but a few steps back. That may teach them although I doubt it. If they're upset they should take it out on the guy who brought it down on them. Unless of course they consider him part of their club.
I too used to 4 wheel, but I didn't drive over the dunes and kept my destruction of nature to a minimum. I also carried out what I brought in. When someone abuses a privilege we lose it.
Also, the plover always put their nests willy-nilly all over the beach. They were driven into the dunes by the people. Would anybody be alright giving up their house just because someone else wanted it and had the power to take it? We are the stewards of the land.

Wow, sounds like the guy in Westhampton buying the houses did everybody a big favor by creating jobs that will last to the end of time. Good for that rich guy.

I notice nobody claims the rich guy did anything illegal. The only thing I see that smacks of questionable legality is "environmental experts" who shut down beaches with "regulations" without due process to the users. That's where the real sin is and if it doesn't change there will be endless conflict with people who worship snails and not other people.

You're right Tom. He did create jobs, and that's a wonderful thing. I just he paid for them instead of me. After all, he got the house. The rest of us only got the shaft.
Due process was had when the rules were enacted. Anybody who objects to them can always sue or lobby.

Actually, there are a lot more people working on yachts than owning them, and they're not rich.

Have you ever heard of a thing called "Eminent Domain"? Although I can't think of a case where that involved a McMansion.
Shall we now get into the role of the lowly beetle in our ecosystem or what can result when species become extinct?

I know, it's used to evict the poor. We just step on or drive over the birds and beetles. For the life of me I can't understand how they ever got laws passed either. Who'd have ever thought a bird could get a lawyer? Must be a rich guy behind them somewhere.