Island Deliveries

It was a little slower getting off the island today, and it’s beginning to feel like the summer season is upon us. The speed limits dropped yesterday to 35 slowing traffic down a bit through the villages. There was also quite a bit of work being done as crews are still cleaning up after last week’s storm. Just south of the Oregon Inlet bridge and just north of Rodanthe one lane of the highway was restricted as sand was being pushed off the road. There was also a small stretch of the Bonner Bridge where only one lane remains open as they continue work on the bridge. Most of the water has disappeared from the roads less a few puddles around the Pea Island area. Please drive slowly though these areas as this water is salt water and can potentially cause damage to your vehicle or to those vehicles passing beside you. Many don’t realize the detriment they may be causing, and it is a sure fire way to anger some locals and others who are “in the know”. (It’s also not a pleasant experience to be enjoying a drive with your windows down when someone flies past you through a puddle of water.) By the time I returned to the island, it seemed that most of the sand had been cleared from the roads so hopefully traffic will be alleviated for the weekend influx of visitors. There was long line of cars sporting surf racks dotting the road at the north end of Rodanthe, and I noticed tripods set up on the dunes. I imagine the swell must have been really good to see so much traffic on a Thursday morning. Despite the work being done and the speed limits dropping, it seems that traffic is becoming more dense in general easing us us into the full swing of summer!

It is no surprise to me that infractions have already occurred defying the recent negotiations settled upon in court regarding Cape Hatteras National Seashore’s beach access rules. The courts stated that any area could be closed on the beach for colonial waterfowl nesting areas, and that any violation of the stated rules would result in increasing 50 meter expansions of the boundary. I’m not sure if the 50 meter expansion threats were an honest attempt at avoiding these infractions or if it was simply known that they were inevitable, and this is exactly what they wanted to happen…..More of the beach closed. Well, that’s what happened when 12 signs were destroyed at the southern boundary of the South Beach closure. We have all been punished as a result of the careless actions of one or a few. It is the first punishable offense, but, sadly, I predict it will not be the last. There will always be a few who will exhibit their rebellion through angry and destructive acts. I am a proponent for fighting and standing up for our freedoms and rights, but the only way to be true victors is through wit, integrity, and respect. It is important to make our voices heard in an honest and articulate fashion not through antagonistic and destructive behavior. I, like many, lack faith in the hope that our politicians and government would actually protect the common wishes of the community as opposed to bending to the wishes of special interest groups or lobbyists, but I would still encourage those opposed to the beach closures to continue to appeal to local and national politicians and more importantly the media. Make your voice heard!

• Click here for a list of contact info for local & national politicians and involved environmental groups.
• Suggest a story to the Virginian Pilot.
• Or Write a Letter to the Editor of the Virginian Pilot.
• News Channel 3 in Hampton Roads contact info.
• News Channel 13 in Hampton Roads Investigates
• WAVY News 10 in Hampton Roads “On Your Side”
• The News & Observer in Raleigh

There are endless other outlets to explore. These are just a few local options that may be inclined to pick up on the story. Thanks to all for their support of our little beach community. We will continue to fight to make this a beautiful place for everyone to enjoy!

Parts of the beach were already closed around ramps 43 & 45 near Cape Point due to least terns exhibiting nesting behavior or what is called “scratching” making the point virtually inaccessible via pedestrian or ORV traffic. Yesterday morning the National Park Service discovered a single least tern egg which prompted further closures of South Beach around what is known as the hook south of Cape Point. I work at Finnegan’s Restaurant located across the street from the access road to get to the point. I can personally attest to the fact that these recent beach closures has certainly affected our business. We rely heavily upon the patronage of many fishermen & women especially in the spring and fall seasons. Conversation among the tables in the restaurant are ruled by the beach closures and their expected and already noticeable effects. I was told that the Falcon Motel has received 4 calls canceling this weekend’s reservations, and that Monday several people turned their keys in early as a result of the news of the closures. Later in the evening I was informed that one of the campgrounds has experienced similar cancellations for the same reasons. I can only imagine what this small sampling could mean for the rest of the island’s business trends. Living in such a small community I have found that it is easy for rumors to spread and compound quickly, and I try to keep a level head about most things, wishing for the best. However, in light of the events unfolding before us it is becoming abundantly clear that we may not only be experiencing a nationwide recession, but one on a microlevel that could potentially prove to be extremely detrimental to our close knit, fragile community. Facing current challenges such as the mortgage crisis, a flailing stock market, and obscenely high gas prices may prove to be catastrophic for many of Hatteras Island’s residents if coupled with a major decline in our tourism industry. We are already at a disadvantage because we have no organized local government or media capable of fighting or aptly representing our cause. Yes, we have many individuals and organizations trying to band together and broadcast the community’s voice, but our words are drowned by megalomaniac special interest groups. For so long Hatteras has been able to exist untouched by the bureaucratic fingers of the archetypal American society. Is it too idealistic to believe that this little strip of land could remain that way forever?

More in depth info regarding the beach closures can be found at the following links:

Island Free Press

Outer Banks Preservation Association

As I was taking my biweekly trip to the metropolis of Nags Head this morning, I was again stopped on the Bonner Bridge by construction crews as I have been for the past couple of months. Since March there has been one lane traffic on about a half mile stretch of the bridge as they are obviously conducting much needed work on the Oregon Inlet Bridge. I wondered if this would continue throughout the season so I did a little digging and found some very interesting and informative updates on the North Carolina Department of Transportation web site. Apparently, a recent assessment of the bridge was recently posted on May 3, 2008. They are quoted as saying:

“The bridge, in its current state, is safe for use by the traveling public and does not require any
weight limit posting. Its “poor” rating is an indication of the bridge’s short remaining life span.”

There is a lot of interesting information on the site detailing problem areas and even displaying pictures depicting these problems. For anyone who is interested I would suggest checking out the report. The “bridge issue” has been a much debated issue in the forefront of Hatteras news for some time now. An in depth version of the report can be found at the following link:

http://www.ncdot.org/doh/operations/dp_chief_eng/maintenance/bridge/bonner/bonner.html

As far as whether or not the traffic stops will continue throughout the season the following contract synopsis implies that it will. In a nutshell, although work just began in March, the projected completion date is not until late 2010. I guess the bridge construction trucks will become as normal a sight as the dredges underneath the bridge and the bulldozers on the side of HWY 12 north of Rodanthe used to constantly push sand off the highway. We are in a perpetual race with Mother Nature on Hatteras Island.

The contract info already copied below can be found at the following link:

https://apps.dot.state.nc.us/traffictravel/progloc/ProgLocSearch.aspx

Lately you can’t go anywhere on Hatteras Island without becoming entangled in conversation lamenting the recent court decision regarding beach access and its resulting closures. But, why wouldn’t it be in the forefront of our minds? These recent events will have a trickle down effect on all of us whether we live in Hatteras or just visit. I worry about the state of our economy and our very livelihoods. Yesterday the Bodie Island Spit in Oregon Inlet, Cape Point in Buxton, and the South Point of Ocracoke were all closed not only to ORV access, but to pedestrian traffic as well. These closures were a result of the discovery of plover and tern nests. Already the consent decree stated that as of May 1st all of Hatteras beaches would be closed to night driving between the hours of 10pm to 6am. This will most certainly have a devastating effect on the fishing sect of the tourist population as all of these closures took place at prime fishing spots.

It has been an emotionally charged couple of months in Hatteras as we anxiously await new news.

Here are a few links to learn more & keep up-to-date with beach closure info, other Hatteras news, & to join in the discussion:

• Island Free Press
• Red Drum Tackle Forums
• OBX Connection Forums
• Outer Banks Preservation Association
• North Carolina Beach Buggy Association

Photo by Don Bowers