Save Hatteras Now

ESA Easterns, Buxton 2007. Floating between the first pair of groins, small sets split the crowd, but Kech won’t leave me alone. He keeps grinning me at me, hypnotically repeating same phrase like an over-aged grom’s version of the Jedi Mind Trick: “Let’s drive down to the point.” I tell him the wind’s all wrong. The swell’s backwards. That we only have a half-hour to spare. But he’s relentless, so we dash to the lot, pile in 4-Runner and rip southward toward the first access for a soft, bouncy float across the sand. Ten minutes later, we’re sitting on the hood facing east, surrounded by fishermen, kids and dogs. The waves are trash, but Matt’s serene, sipping his Gatorade and waxing nostalgic. He knew we wouldn’t surf. He just wanted to relive a favorite Outer Banks ritual: to sit and reflect at the very point where all that southern and northern ocean energy comes together. Suddenly, jumping in the car feels like the best decision in the world. And six months later it’s feels even better— because it now it looks like he may never get another chance.

According to the website www.SaveHatteras.com: “In Fall of 2007, National Audubon Society, The Defenders of Wildlife and the Southern Environmental Law Center filed suit in Federal District Court against the United States of America to limit or ban access to many of the primary areas of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, including Oregon Inlet, Cape Point and most of Ocracoke. On March 13, 2008 the Dept of Justice declined to contest the lawsuit which will be heard April 4, 2008 in Raleigh NC. This effectively means that beach access will be closed at that time. [Furthermore,] you could be looking at full closures of these areas until the federal courts have heard the lawsuit against the Interim ORV Plan. If a judge decides in favor of the groups that have brought this lawsuit, there would be a full closure of all ORV access.”

So now is the time for surfers to join together and start driving themselves to action. First, send a pleacast to all the appropriate parties. Let them know how important access to surf there are ways to be environmentally sensitive and still allow humans to enjoy the beach. As Surfrider’s Outer Banks Chapter puts in their official stance: “[we implore] all parties involved in this issue to find a balance between access, protection and preservation. We recommend managing access of these areas through a combination of permitting, limiting the number of vehicles, and closures when necessary to protect the migratory species that use this area seasonally. The Outer Banks Chapter of Surfrider Foundation supports protection and preservation, and in this unique situation does support the reasonable use of Off Road Vehicles to allow public access this area.”

Second, locals can attend the public meeting on March Thursday, March 27, at 6:30 p.m. at the Fessenden Center in Buxton, where they will describe in detail all of the current access issues facing Hatteras Island and Ocracoke — that includes, the heated battle over how to handle the Bonner Bridge.

Funny, that debate – whether to replace the current the current span over Oregon Inlet or create a 17-mile bridge that would bypass Pea Island entirely — seemed to be the more pressing issue, as surfers face losing access to all breaks north of S-Turns. Now, with that issue still unresolved, we’re suddenly fighting for access to spots further south, meaning it’s more important than ever for surfers to monitor Outer Banks access non-stop.

As Kech noted while watching the shifting sandbars:
“Better keep an eye on what happens down here — it changes fast.”

Reader Comments 

Posted Tue Mar25, 2008, 9:03 AM — By Giorgio

This is a tempest in a teapot. At most 12.9 miles would be closed for bird protection. It's a reasonable compromise that provides beach access and protects endangered species. We can have both.

Posted Tue Mar25, 2008, 3:41 PM — By marshal

i love surfing at ocracoke, orgeon inlet, hatteras and frisco. if giving up a little bit of beach is what i have to do to keep driving on so be it. although the plovers are in the milloins @ canada they are no where near endangered

Posted Wed Mar26, 2008, 9:05 AM — By Rosalyn

self serving OBX business owners and sports fishermen who want complete and total access for beach driving are creating hysteria and fear among the outer banks locals that their economy will collapse if portions of the beachs are closed. it's pretty disgusting some of these same people will claim to be appalled over Japan's whale hunting, or the destruction of the rain forest, but when problems come close to home, like with the possible ban on beach driving, they think it's a different story. my question to them is how is this issue any different from other environmental crisis being experienced elsewhere? they have the attitude that sacrafice should be made by others but not by them. they need to cooperate a little bit and stop being so greedy.

Posted Wed Mar26, 2008, 9:41 PM — By jimmy

IT IS A DIFFERENT STORY!!! sorry to go off but are you seriously comparing whale hunting and destruction of the rain forest to a beach closure right now?? there are 21 documented cases of piping plovers being run over nationwide. 20 of those by the feds. that leaves us here with a pending beach closure because ONE bird got run over. How would you explain that to an owner of one of the tackle shops on Hatteras Island, who depends on fishermen who drive on the beach?? Because i can tell you, these shops will have to sell out. Have you ever actually driven down route 12 in Avon?? i dont think you have because if you have, you would notice that nearly every cottage has an ORV parked in the driveway. These people arent going to come back if the beaches arent open. believe me, i am all for protecting the environment, and i always bring an extra bag to pick up careless the trash of the people who unfortunately dont care. i just wish people could be fair here, because these pending closures are completely unnessary

Posted Fri Mar28, 2008, 5:32 AM — By BRHathaway

Someone wrote: "This is a tempest in a teapot. At most 12.9 miles would be closed for bird protection. It's a reasonable compromise that provides beach access and protects endangered species. We can have both." Not true friend. Currently only 25% of the beach is available for driving. The 12.9 miles is 12% of the entire beach. Do we want to leave only 13% of the beach left? Think how crowded things will get. So much for finding a remote spot to surf!

Posted Fri Mar28, 2008, 1:59 PM — By Martha Moir

Please at least come and visit before you form an opinion on this issue. We live on what could be called a long sandbar with great waves, great fishing and great people, great environment. It hasn't been ruined. The storms forced the birds to relocate to the soundside dredge islands where the bird count was the highest ever last year. That information was suppressed by the Audubon Society U Defenders of Wildlife.This is also the outer range of nesting for the plover, their numbers are well supported in other nesting areas outside here.Our heritage and our livelihood is seriously jeopardized should access to the beaches be closed.I saw the maps at the meeting last night and it will mean closed for pedestrians as well...the whole island of Ocracoke, Oregon Inlet,Buxton,Frisco & Hatteras.No waveriding.No fishing. No walking.Nothing.This is Cape Hatteras National Recreation Seashore...recreation, not refuge.I'm all for a healthy balance but realistically the only thing endangered here are our human right

Posted Wed Apr 2, 2008, 6:42 AM — By Hatteras Local

Please tell me if the beaches are closed, how will we get to the beach? There isn't much parking here. And the sand dunes should be out of the question to all concerned. They are already very sensitive and we need to preserve them to save our community from storms. where do these special interest groups expect us to get on the beach at? And by the way, as Martha mentioned, these areas will be totally closed. You won't even be able to get to them by boat. This is insane! I am all for protecting animals but I think the Park Service does a fine job doing that. In my opinion, at times they can even go a little overboard. I mean just recently they killed a red fox in front of families with kids because the fox was in a protected area. What about the Fox's protection? and what about the innocent children's protection? At some point, human rights have to be acknowledged! I mean the Park Service promised the islanders when they took their land that they would always allow beach access! Pl

Posted Wed Apr 2, 2008, 9:35 AM — By Tom & Stacey Cunningham

I don't understand why there can't be a compromise. Last year, I had to buy a fishing license to fish in my home county! Then at the end of the year they had to try to figure out what to do with the money. It seems to me that fishing license money should be used to help fish and fishermen! So, I'm wondering why they can't use that money to dredge the sound side channels and make more bird habitats that doesn't have predators. You wouldn't be able to drive on them, or even set foot on them. Then the bird watchers can boat around the islands and see the birds from all angels. Then everyone would benefit: fisherman, bird watchers, boat captains, surfers, business, and builders. We don't want to see the wildlife leave our area because that is what makes it so special but not at the cost of human rights. The beauty of the island and its great fishing & surfing, is what makes it a fantastic place to live and visit.

Posted Fri Apr 4, 2008, 1:33 AM — By BTavers

I am a 65 year old North Carolinian who spent my childhood summers at the Outer Banks. I am so heartbroken by what has been allowed to occur there. I don't think I'll ever go back. Mega mansions with swimming pools, elevators, game rooms, hot tubs! SWIMMING POOLS!! At the beach! And some of them are heated! HEATED! I assume the word about global warming and its causes have not made it to the "remote" Outer Banks. Not so remote anymore. It's a tragedy. And now driving on the beach. On a National Park! On a National Treasure!!! What desecration. The people who advocate driving on the beach.... What is it that they truly care about, if anything at all? Isn't anyone capable of taking a walk? Are you so lazy that you have to drive to your fishing spot? Is walking more than a few feet from your car and cooler too much for you? How embarrassing. What a shame.

Posted Fri Apr 4, 2008, 10:41 AM — By James

Those of us who live on the outer banks resent everything that is being said about our community, for 100 years we have lived and fished in Hatteras FISHING village. It is a fishing village made for fishing paid for by the fisherman, if the 65 year old man above me could actually walk out the almost half mile on oregon inlet to pull his nets in without having a heart attack i would be surprised, and do you think anyone that lives here wants huge mansions and fancy corporate companies, no we dont want any of that, we want to live how we have been living for 100 years and keep doing what we have done, beach driving will unemploy almost 500 people, over a stupid bird that is endangered because people found out they taste good a couple of years back. Their is plenty of land on the outer banks dedicated to preserving wildlife and if you take our privelages away, believe that there will be NO hatteras island left by tommorrow morning.

Posted Fri Apr 4, 2008, 7:25 PM — By Moleman

Ok bird nuts. I am a home owner there. I have been going to the outer banks for 40 years. The reason I bought a home here was to enjoy nature-from my 4 Wheel drive!. If they do all this, then I might as well sell my house right now. And for the bridge, screw the damn thing if there is nothing to cross it for. Certainly not going to drive all the way down just to buy some shelss form the shell shop. Next thing you know they are taking away the ocean because fish live there. No more boats next? And you know damn well that once they get some leeway it will NEVER EVER change! 3 years my ass. Assatuege has been closed for 12 and the plover numbers have fallen. They never let you drive there. Give me a break wake up people. Dont let them take away one of the only driveable beaches in America. Stand up for you rights!!!!!!!! Sorry about my spelling, I am just mad

Posted Sun Apr 6, 2008, 11:27 PM — By Rascoe

What does the 65 year-old guy mean;"now driving on the beach?!" Like it just started recently. My God, beach driving is part of the county's heritage; from the days before roads to setting beach seines to pulling 'em in with tractors and trucks. Where was this guy? There's a showdown coming in America folks,not necessarily red state/blue state; but more like urban vs. rural America. The city dwellers are jealous as hell at the lifestyles and natural resources the country folk enjoy daily. They can't stand the fact that they only get it 1 or 2 weeks a year,so they try to regulate it.Beach driving today-commercial fishing tomorrow.Heck, just being able to launch a boat and motor on a natural waterway will be threatened in a few decades. I know this sounds harsh and kinda jerky, but we are gonna slowly lose our heritage and freedoms to roam.

Posted Mon Apr 7, 2008, 12:22 PM — By Carlota

THANK GOD!! Some one agrees with me. the only reason I agree with the beach driving ban is so we can get rid of some of these fruity, retarded tourist that come down year after year. I love driving on the beach but there's some things that are better than others. FREEDOM from retarded tourists ALL SUMMER LONG!! :)

Posted Tue Apr 8, 2008, 10:19 AM — By Chris

it is ridiculous at how some people can side with these leftist ideals, especially those who claim to have been going down South for years. I am 26 years old and been going down to OBX for 22 years since I was a little kid. Driving on the beach in OBX is what makes it such a unique place to visit, it might be the only place left in America where you can literally go on a beach and truly experience the peace and solitude of nature and the environment by yourself. Don't get me wrong I am all for habitat preservation, however, it seeems that people are missing a huge point here. Locals and tourists are not causing the destruction of the environment, it is nature itself through storms, beach erosion, etc. The only reason most beaches (bird habitat) still remain in OBX is due to local/tourist industry alike, we dredge sand to recreate beaches every year for poeple to enjoy. And if we put this ban in place who is goin to pay to refurbish beaches now, especially if you can't use them. Where is you bird habit

Posted Sun Apr13, 2008, 7:29 PM — By Mr. Midgett, OBX NATIVE

I am a NATIVE of the Outer Banks. I love driving on the beach, but due to these annoying tourist I feel I have lost my beach driving priveliges. It's not my fault that tourist come down to my home and my beaches and ruin my fun on the beaches that have been here forever. Beach driving should only be allowed for locals, since tourist are the reason our beaches are destroyed.Locals know how to drive on the beach tourist from PA, Ohio, NJ, NY, and other places up north don't understand how we operate and how you're supposed to treat the beaches down here.Maybe next time they'll think before driving on the dunes, if there is a next time!

Posted Mon Jul28, 2008, 7:05 PM — By Rob Beedie

Share This Information September 20, 2008 www.HatterasIslandSurfFilmFestival.com rob@globalsurfnetwork.com

Posted Tue Jul29, 2008, 2:21 PM — By  crazy communist leftist hippy jew tree hugger homo

i love people who eat endangered species for breakfast they are usually republican hate obama the islamic leader in disguise, don't forget to vote for offshore oil drilling along the outer banks, and vote for navy testing too cause those whales that just washed up recently on the national seashore in convulsions were just crazy!! crazy i tell you!! crazy ass the rednecks that run this town!!!! look out!!!! i get my spiritual visions from 5 day binges on bud light yehaawww!!!!

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