Posted on 11/28/2011 7:46:14 PM PST by Haiku Guy
Chincoteague, Va. — Over the years, residents and tourists in this picturesque resort town have been guided by five gentle words: “Relax, you’re on island time.”
But these days, laid-back Chincoteague is on edge.
In a new plan to deal with beach erosion and prepare for sea-level rise, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed changes that the mayor, the chamber of commerce and homeowners say would eventually drive away summer tourism and drive down the economy that depends on it. Some of those changes would involve closing the beach and its parking lot, then opening a beach with parking farther away and shuttling tourists.
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(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
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The last time I was there (a long time ago) the only animals I saw were nude bathers.My daughter got an eye full, she still laughs about it.There were NO signs.
The ponies are owned by Chincoteague fire company and the only control the govt has on them is to limit the size of the herd. There are fences and gates to keep them from sensitive areas.
In the early 80's, there was one nude beach, accessible by walking only. For years there has been a sign at the entrance to the beach area that nude bathing is prohibited in Accomack County.
If the locals think beach access is so important let them pay for the washed out roads and parking lots. I’m tired of my tax money going to support these communities living off of government welfare in the form of subsidies for recreation. Fish and Game is one of the worst of the land grabbing agencies and they try to placate the locals by pouring money into recreational facilities. Give the land back to the locals and let THEM pay for everything like they should be.
“And if cars didn’t occupy the 8.5-acre parking lot, piping plovers, an endangered shorebird the refuge protects, would nest there.”
They’re too chicken shit to just come to the point that in their minds we’re over populated and should open the camps and fire up the ovens.
“If the locals think beach access is so important let them pay for the washed out roads and parking lots. “
There are two ferry docks with fish camps on the government owned southern Outer Banks that were originally built with private money. In the old days when a storm damaged the infrastructure the community would rally and rebuild it. Today the NPS forbids that as everything has to be done to the strict letter of bureaucratic law.
One of camps is still closed from the Sept. hurricane damage because community help other than picking up trash is forbidden.
Today, Chincoteague.
Tomorrow, Cape Cod, The Keys,
Virginia Beach.
It’s never ceases to amaze me how quick people are to criticize something they know little to nothing about - including newspaper writers from outside of the area.
Interestingly enough, it seems that many of the tourists/part time residents from the D.C. area actually do support the efforts of the locals as opposed to the feds.
BTW, we’ll be, once again, doing our weekly contribution to the Chinco economy this afternoon. Hope y’all had a nice thanksgiving.
The storms this year weren't any worse than in almost any other year - and they did get everything put back together again pretty fast for Labor Day weekend. Seems many inland states had worse flooding and I doubt that was caused by rising ocean levels :)
Turkey day was fine. Enjoy your trip today.
Maybe they should do what Galveston Texas has done. They pump sand from the Gulf floor onto the beach because beaches do erode.
After the 1900 hurricane they raised the level of Galveston Island and built a seawall to protect it. It is a fabulous story if you have never heard it or seen the old photos.
They jacked up the remaining houses and pumped the sand underneath them. They raised the island 10 or 12 feet, can’t remember exactly, but it was an amazing feat.
I sure can’t add to that statement.
I have a few friends who live on the Island, that are really, truly leftwing liberals, even they are opposed to what FWS is proposing and have sided with the town. You could have knocked me over with a feather when I heard that.
The EPA and a zillion other agencies would prevent anything remotely resembling that from happening today.
Of course they do. But I think they really truly want the beach to wash away on Assateague.
The federal government grabbed it fifty years ago to make a National Seashore. Existing homes could stay but there was to be no building of new homes (there may still be several - I don't know).
People visited the National Seashore. One had to purchase either an annual duck stamp or annual pass (federal government). Chincoteague Island provided food, lodging, etc. for all of those visitors.
Now the government wants to pull the rug out from under Chincoteague, so to speak, because there is no way people are going to want to go to the beach on a bus. Can't you picture carrying the cooler, sand toys, boogie boards, beach chairs and umbrella on a bus? One plan offered was to limit you to one trip to the beach per year!
Yes, they should step up and do what you suggested. New Jersey does it, Maryland does it, Delaware does it - but because it is federal land and rulers, Assateague does not.
I can’t remember exactly but it has been less than 15 years since Galveston raised the level of the beaches.
Texas beaches belong to the State of Texas.
Forgot to mention, during breeding season for piping plovers (April to September), the entire southern part of the island is closed to human traffic. You cannot even set foot on it if you travel by boat, nor walk down the beach. FWS trumps NPS.
Unfortunately, this particular Virginia beach does not belong to Virginia.
Most of the Maryland half of Assateague does belong to Maryland.
But, but, but, the Federal government is our friend - 0bama told us so..................
It is a “madness of crowds” in that so many still are caught in the discredited fraud of global warming and it’s accompanying fraudulent claim of sea-level rises. As someone born at the Jersey shore and and having lived there for years, sandy-footed, it’s clear that barrier islands and beaches are ever-changing. In some decades the beach grows, in others it is eroded. Near-shore currents are transient.
A large storm or series of storms can completely rewrite the map.
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