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Not just rebuilding houses. In the shore town I lived in they had severe beach erosion. So every 5 years or so, the Army Corp of Engineers comes down with an army of contractors and a giant machine out in the ocean that pumps sand onto the beach. All at taxpayer expense with the Federal government paying the bulk of it. The contractor’s cars have license plates from Louisiana and Texas and all over the country, working all day and night. I can’t even imagine the cost. But it only benefits that town and the rich beachfront homeowners and business owners.
And the "improvement" is a pretty temporary band aid at best. Like trying to fill a bathtub without putting the drain plug in
Not just rebuilding houses. In the shore town I lived in they had severe beach erosion. So every 5 years or so, the Army Corp of Engineers comes down with an army of contractors and a giant machine out in the ocean that pumps sand onto the beach. All at taxpayer expense with the Federal government paying the bulk of it. The contractor’s cars have license plates from Louisiana and Texas and all over the country, working all day and night. I can’t even imagine the cost. But it only benefits that town and the rich beachfront homeowners and business owners.
That's done to all the beach towns - not just the "rich" towns
That's done to all the beach towns - not just the "rich" towns
Yup. Army Corps is building coastal protection on the shore of the Raritan Bay in Union Beach, one of the towns hit hardest by Sandy in 2012 and not remotely wealthy.
ATVs with appropriate sand tires/pressures don't tend to create deep ruts. We used smaller 4 wheeler ATVs as patrol vehicles on nesting beaches. Daily beach raking can be death to wandering chicks!
I drive on the beach! Used to go surf fishing a lot on NC's outer banks. I live in Ocean City, MD and we have Assateque right down the road in which driving is allowed on the national seashore part down to the VA line. It also covers the seashore section in Chincoteque, VA. Beach driving is highly regulated, has a fee and there is a limit as to number of vehicles allowed. When nesting season approaches, that section is closed off.
A couple questions.
Ocean city is a 10 mile stretch starting on the other side of the inlet where thousands of people are on that beach at any given time during the summer. Difference?
Assateque state park is about a 10 mile section just above the national seashore with hundreds of people on the lower section at any time during the week. Difference?
Storms will bury that beach up to the dune line various times during the nesting season rendering the nests dead. Guaranteed!
And I will also say that, mark my word, if these drivable sections are closed permanently, how long before the parking lots are expanded? An access road built? Boardwalk sections (so the handicapped can access the same areas)? That will be more detrimental than allowing vehicles on the limited sections we're allowed on.
I'm all for conserving natural areas as I hunt and fish, therefore do more than most of those who don't to support our local wildlife, but I think we have a good balance of things. The crowds have their section. there are parks with less people. There are sections with even fewer people where we can drive our vehicles on the beach to go fishing away from the crowds. (we have 10 miles in MD). And there are sections that are pretty much closed off entirely or extremely limited access if one has a boat. There is something for everybody and every animal all up and down our coast.
Getting back on topic, those holes people dig do far worse than me airing down my tires and going for a cruise. And every beach side tourist store, including the local Walmart's and hardware stores sell little plastic shovels and buckets. Most of us dug in the sand when little. And the size of some of these holes I see is ridicules. I have seen ones I consider "truck traps" as they could probably swallow up a lifted Crew Cab Super Duty.
Parents, your allowed to tell your kids to stop! Go ahead. Try it. It might feel good. Take the shovel away if it gets beyond a foot or so. But somehow, I think the parents are involved with making these giant holes as I'd feel the average kids attention span would run out after about 1/2 hour of digging.
Its a shame that happened but what can really be done to prevent it? Sorry to say it as I'm not the one who lost a child, but it was a freak accident that rarely happens. Could it have been avoided? Yes. I feel it could have. I may be wrong, but I picture mom and dad looking over saying "aww, how cute. They're keeping themselves occupied" and then going back into their cell phones. Mom taking selfies and dad updating his status on Facebook! We can't put signs every 50 ft warning about all possible dangers. There are so many to list you'd have billboard sized signs lining the dunes!
Perhaps, having a common sense class added in school. And for the adults, a common sense seminar at work once a year!
Not just rebuilding houses. In the shore town I lived in they had severe beach erosion. So every 5 years or so, the Army Corp of Engineers comes down with an army of contractors and a giant machine out in the ocean that pumps sand onto the beach. All at taxpayer expense with the Federal government paying the bulk of it. The contractor’s cars have license plates from Louisiana and Texas and all over the country, working all day and night. I can’t even imagine the cost. But it only benefits that town and the rich beachfront homeowners and business owners.
They do that down here in the other Ocean City every few years. I fish for a living and when asked about our rockfishing off the coast in the winter (Striped Bass) I always say, not anymore as they are illegal to fish for in federal waters, which is anything outside of 3 miles and that's where they are all at. Good for the tourism, bad for the fishing. The connection? Fish rely on structure. Where do you think that structure is now? Its all on the beach. That nice, wide beach this town is famous for comes at a cost.
That being said and even as a fisherman stating that, I am mixed. The dude on one shoulder says "It sucks, why are they doing that? Think of the costs? We used to have a good wintertime fishery right off the beach!" But the dude on the other shoulder says, "Hay, idiot, think, that beach brings the tourists. How long can one hang out on the beach, so they look for other things to do...hmmmm they charter a boat."
So, it doesn't benefit just the rich as that beach brings in the tourists which support the town. Without that beach, there wouldn't be much of a tourist industry.
Getting back on topic, those holes people dig do far worse...the size of some of these holes I see is ridicules. I have seen ones I consider "truck traps" as they could probably swallow up a lifted Crew Cab Super Duty.
But somehow, I think the parents are involved with making these giant holes as I'd feel the average kids attention span would run out after about 1/2 hour of digging...
"...they're keeping themselves occupied" and then going back into their cell phones. Mom taking selfies and dad updating his status on Facebook!
Thanks for getting back on topic! I think it's been established that adults dug this hole, whether it was their parents or strangers before they got there. And most likely these parents were taking pics and videos of their kids with those ubiquitous cell phones; it's all you see on the beach these days; nary a "beach read" nor anyone just staring at the ocean anymore. It'd be interesting to review the history of the parents' phone activity around the time of the tragedy.
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