BeachSiO2

I know many don't see the Beach Breeze/Defuniak Herald so I thought I would post this article from July 12th that I found interesting. It looks like we will have more fireworks in addition to handcuffs on the beach. By the way, note that this will affect private individuals and vendors so let the funn begin..

Items left on beach to be removed

By DOTTY NIST

"Remove it or lose it," is now the rule in the evening on Walton County beaches.
To alleviate what has been identified as "a severe problem," Walton County has initiated a coordinated approach to have beaches clear of clutter in the evenings. The clutter of chairs, awnings, umbrellas, and other items on the beach has long been a complaint of South Walton Turtle Watch volunteers.
Federally-protected native sea turtles come onto the beach during their spring and fall nesting season, and their reproduction can be hampered by obstacles left on the beach in the evening. Human beachgoers can also run into or trip over these obstacles as they walk on the beach at night.
On June 28, Pat Blackshear, county planning and development services director, announced a cooperative effort between the county, the tourism council, and the sheriff's office to address the problem.
Blackshear explained that items left on the beach would be tagged and then removed after 24 hours if not taken off the beach by their owners. The policy applies both to private individuals and beach vendors, who are being notified by mail.
Walton County Sheriff's Office and Walton County Code Enforcement personnel will share patrol and tagging duties. South Walton Tourist Development Council (TDC) personnel will pick up tagged items once the 24-hour period has elapsed, and owners will forfeit items that are picked up.
TDC Executive Director Kriss Titus commented that, while Walton County's beaches have been honored by the Clean Beaches Council, she believes that the TDC has not been getting the message out about the importance of an uncluttered beach.
She said the TDC plans a "remove it or lose it" marketing campaign and will post information on its web page urging visitors to comply.

Smiling JOe

Like the Sheriff's Office and Code Enforcement have the (wo)manpower to do that job. They don't even direct traffic, much less fine illegal vehicles on the beach. Does Pat Blackshear go to the beach? Has she seen the lines of tents and cheap crap on the beaches, every day? I don't think so.

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dunelover

Just an fyi in regards to this. While at Dunes of Seagrove the trend over a period of days was to leave things under the walkover, not overnight, just during the day (during the needed afternoon naps)....Apparently, some owners were ticked that it was not a pretty sight and without warning all the stuff was dumped, some was taken to the maintenance office......So, my point.....Don't trust that your stuff is even safe during the day, move it or lose it!

Miss Kitty

If this is true, they might start over at the area shown on the www.bluemountainvillas.com website. Everytime I check it out early in the morning, there are chairs, umbrellas and TENTS that have obviously been left there overnight.

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Smiling JOe

If the stuff was next to a TDC trashcan, the garbage people will remove it, thinking it is trash. Often the TDC trashcans are beside the walkover entrances on the beach.

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seacrestkristi

that sheeet is hazardous and U-G-L-Y
Mother Nature needs to look like nature not umbrella frames everywhere

Bluznbeach

Amen, Kristi. It's unfortunate, but some people act like a public beach is their own private sandbox and just leave their stuff all over the place. This is not only bad for the turtles but is just discourteous to the humans.

jdarg

I just have to relay this story- Last weekend, we were down at the beach early in the morning. My mother-in-law noticed a lamp, complete with shade, lying close to the shore. She started over to get it, but before she could grab it, a girl driving a black jeep w/ a Walton county beach permit, picked up the lamp and chucked it INTO THE WATER. My MIL was yelling at her to stop, then asked her why she would do such a thing. She answered "It was old and broken". Unreal.

The day before, we were talking to a family that had tent set-up in that same area I did politely explain about the turtles). Apparently on 4th of July, a group of people took over their tent and brought in lamps ( ) and had a party. What is the deal with the lamps? I didn't know there were plugs on the beach. And the a$$holes left a lamp behind-

kurt

I had heard some tents were cleared in Dune Allen and folks who left them out were not happy about it.

Daily, countywide enforcement isn't necessary, just enforcement along random stretches on a consistent basis. After a couple of seasons the word will get out.

Vendors could be enlisted to leave tags and provide info to authorities. They would probably be happy to do it since items left on the beach infringe and impeded their business.

BeachSiO2

I am slightly confused by your comments . Is it that they are coming to the problem at the eleventh hour in a less than ideal manner? For the sake of optimism, how about throwing out a bone saying something along the lines of, "finally, they are trying something and good luck." Instead of coming out guns blazing with such negativity. This just seemed extremely pessimistic considering I know how much you (and others) have wanted to see this done for a while.

IMO, it gets back to spending time enforcing laws on the books and not creating new laws. As far as who's doing it, the cops and code enforcement are the only ones that can enforce the laws. How about a little optimism "smiling" joe?

I for one say, "good luck to all involved!"

30A Skunkape

What is the law regarding people taking stuff they find on the beach? I have seen some mighty fine equipment left out as the sun sets-is it considered abandoned and a 'finders keepers' rule takes effect?

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BeachSiO2

IMO, If it is abandoned at a publically owned beach access area like Grayton, I don't see why it would be any different then being left at any other public park and thus free game. For some reason, the people that go to the beach around here are too nice

Beach Runner

Every summer after the summer rental season ends, I gather up all of the stuff that has been abandoned at our private walkover, toss the broken stuff, and confiscate the good stuff. It's allowed me to provide beach chairs and beach toys for our renters so they don't have to add to the pollution by buying more stuff at Publix. I also do this in the off-season; if something is on the beach that was there on a previous visit, I remove it from the beach.

I was tempted to clean up the beach this week because of the unbelievable mess but was afraid I'd throw away something that belonged to a current renter.

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newyorker

We've been coming down to Seagrove/Seaside since 1995, and this year was the first one in which we found people actually "squatting" their places next to the water. (One big family at the complex where we stayed actually had 4 linked tents and lectured another couple about this "being the 4th of July"--somehow that was supposed to give them license to be obnoxious. In previous years, everyone sclepped their stuff back to their condos every night, and it was sort of "first come first served" in terms of getting a spot in the morning. My husband is a very non-confrontational sort of person, and usually he would tell me (I'm not that way) to chill out and we'd just move elsewhere.
But this year, it frankly reminded me of the sort of "newyorkers" we came south to avoid--places were "saved" the entire week next to the water and people were quite pushy and obnoxious, and even my husband decided we too had to leave our stuff on the beach in order to have a place anywhere near the water. (at least we didn't have tents or lamps--just a few folding chairs and an umbrella).

InletBchDweller

you know I do need some new chairs and umbrellas....so is this stealing??? or just cleaning up the area????

Beachmom

Good ???? Just left Grayton, saw everything from toddler shoes to very nice tents set up.... Sure could use one of those for W. Indies Market!!!!!

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"where did all this mop water come from?" (mom)
"the potty" (little beach with toy mop in hand...!)

dunelover

Yes, it was near a trashcan---thanks for the tip.....

Smiling JOe

Good luck.
When reporting potential violations of environmental threats from people with track hoes, who can destroy a huge piece of property within hours, the Code Enforcement will typically arrive on the scene the following day. I have been for getting this crap off the beach for a long time, but if the Code Enforcement is so understaffed that they cannot even handle the seriously potential damaging acts, there is no way in heck that they, or our understaffed SO will be tagging and removing the thousands, yes thousands of pieces of crap from the beach.

Let's say that Pat's idea of tagging items, then removing them after 24 hours, goes through. Is the SO or CE going to recall which Walmart chair or umbrella or tent they tagged, so that they can then proceed to remove the items? Do you seriously think that the tent owner will not remove the tag?

Good luck.

I think it would be a cheaper alternative to pay a few people to clear the beach at dawn every day, and allow the collectors to keep and sell the crap which they collect. It wouldn't be tying up the Sheriff's deputies and the Code Enforcement from conducting important business like hauling beach goers to jail for sitting quietly on the beach.

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Smiling JOe

That might be stretching it. What if I set up my two beach chairs, sat in them for a few hours, and decided to take an hour long walk down the beach and back, and I had planned to stay even later to watch the stars, yet when I come back, my chairs were taken. Does going for a walk or swim, constitute abandonment, like it does at The Retreat?

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UofL

Haven't been to Grayton in two years because of other trips but plan to come back next June. It sounds less and less inviting and perhaps next year will be our last trip.
I'm confused about the beach. Is it to be admired from a distance only? Should the accessible beaches be kept for photo opportunities? I remember reading about the tents and understand that the turtle people want things off the beach at night. We can do that. We thought it was great back then to be able to leave your stuff on the beach without anyone bothering it, but if there are issues with that - we stopped that.
We love coming to a beach. Living in the Ohio Valley, there are few spots that draw you to the outside the way the beach area does. We love our beach trips for R&R.
We'll probably not fool with a tent anymore but bring an umbrella - we want to be able to stay out there as much as possible. The water is so wonderful to look at and quite frankly the water at Grayton has been a challenge - pretty to look at....sea weed/algae, whatever, was the challenge, then jellyfish, then DEADLY rip currents, now sharks...
I can't remember, but I guess Captain Sam(?) has the beach rental service. Maybe we will do that to support the local economy. Is that alright with everyone if we rent those all week and they stay in their place from morning until afternoon?
I am going to put on my calendar to remind me to rent 'our' spot after Christmas for June. See ya...

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BeachSiO2

Now, that's the Smiling Joe we know and love. Realism with a slight touch of positive reinforcement.

I know its going to be a long road to work it all out too but at least they are putting a plan in place. Maybe Kurt is right that at least with consistent enforcement at random stretches will work.

BeachSiO2

Good point. I was focussing on Skunky's question regarding it being there as the sun sets. If it looks abandoned it and will be staying all night, then I personally consider it abandoned. If I went to Central Park or other smaller parks and left stuff overnight, I wouldn't expect it to be there the next day. My comment is more focussed on what's left overnight.

scooterbug44

I thought someone used to be paid by the county/tdc/etc to pick up random stuff and would then sell it near Collaborations?

I had a lovely day at the beach saturday - no "privateers" in sight, but lots of excess floats, tents that stayed unoccupied all day, and cigarette butts!

Love to see some of those TDC $ going to general beach cleanup!

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"I hate to break it to you, but this year (and probably the next few) was going to suck even if Jesus himself was president. These problems were not created overnight and they aren't going away overnight." -Jdarg

ozbeachmom

What ever happened to bringing a beach towel,sunscreen and a drink? We go to the beach to play in the water not set up a small apartment! When we get out, we can sit down on the towels and enjoy the beach, no need for all of that other stuff.

People have become self centered and not respectful of what Mother Nature and the Big Guy has provided us.

Smiling JOe

Skin cancer happened, and lightweight beach chairs were invented, and kids with ADD seem to need many toys, or so their parents believe.

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scooterbug44

Keep talking like that and they'll take away your Sam's card and right to own an SUV w/ a rooftop carrier and trailer!

People just seem to need stuff, stuff, and more stuff! This weekend I looked at the rumbling dark clouds, then around at my fellow beach goers and determined I was the only person who could actually leave the beach w/ all my belongings if a storm hit.

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"I hate to break it to you, but this year (and probably the next few) was going to suck even if Jesus himself was president. These problems were not created overnight and they aren't going away overnight." -Jdarg

Smiling JOe

Afternoon storms will appear without notice, and I've seen many umbrellas go flying into Western Lake and the dunes, without any owner appearing to be present.

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Poodleone

This sort of touches on an issue that we faced last year. We had always stayed at Henderson Park Inn where beach service people pick up the umbrellas at night. When we decided to try Blue Mountain, I contacted a beach umbrella service. They delivered the chairs and umbrellas but left them the entire week. This year, I plan to take them in each evening rather than leaving them out. It is a little frustrating to be a visitor and not know exactly how to handle these kinds of things. However, I would think common sense might dictate NOT having 4 tents linked together, at the water's edge, trying to "save a space" like kids in school. We come in September to try to avoid much of this kind of thing but can only imagine from the pictures on the beach cam at Blue Mtn. what kind of craziness goes on every day.

cpete

Man, all the talk about the crowded beaches makes me wonder if we were actually at the same stretch of beach the week of the fourth. I counted 11 umbrellas the third of July. Just a hint, somewhere between Santa Rosa and Rosemary. I was pleasantly surprised actually.

seaside2

Normally, we do not go down during the summer months, and have always found the chair dudes willing to leave the chairs and umbrellas in place all night. We are careful to let the umbrella down and tie it. Ms seaside loves to sit on the beach until sunset (If I bring her some adult refreshments!).

When we were down in April, the chair dudes kicked us off the chairs at 5 PM sharp (If not before) and then would not set them up until at least nine the next morning.

Is this all a part of this program to keep the beach free of litter? We have been exposed to the dreaded tent meetings with 30 or 40 cookie monsters hanging around and the tents left up for days on end, but it seems a little unfair to those of us that "behave".

We go in at lunch and leave all of our "stuff" on the beach, come back in an hour or two and it is still there (or at least it has been).

What's happening here is, I suppose, the effect of growth. Not fun for us, but then the only way to stop it is to limit the number of people on the beach at any given time and make a rule to take out what you bring in. Sounds like a great way to ruin a good thing.


I have no answers, but there has to be a better way.

Mermaid

This makes me chuckle because my husband--who was happily napping--was kicked off his chair at 5 pm promptly. Not that he minded by woken up for cocktail hour, though.

When you rent a beach chair set-up, you rent it for a business day, ie, 9 am-5 pm, even if you've requested service for a week. They tear down at the end of the day to comply with beach rules. Inconvenient for sunset watching, yes, but you can't expect the chair people to hang around the beach until sunset waiting to take a few chairs down after. They are the ones who are ultimately responsible for clearing the beach of their property, not you.

On a side note, even if there weren't laws, they'd probably tear down anyway. The dew that sets in during the evening is fierce. The fabrics would be ruined in no time flat by mildew. It really is necessary to put things away, if only for that reason.

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I was outed twice now in my life--the first time by my sister in high school...the second time was right here on Sowal--by of all things, a dumbass mermaid--eh, go figure. ~a drama queen

ozbeachmom

The beach in front of our condo at that time wasn't crowded either. But if you went down by Whales Tale in front of Majestic Sun, it was packed.

John R

this evening:



stuff does not belong to these guys

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John Hall

Since coming here from 1964 we always have brought our toys home at night. common sence.

but 4 tents linked....they really needed to get 4 condos linked

thats over the top. and what if that was cyrstal beach...HA owner would have been out there with shotguns!!

seagrovelover

John R that IS alot of crap left on the beach....................but I can't help to notice how beautiful the water looks sorry, I'm counting down the days till we arrive

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Give me the splendid silent sun.....Walt Whitman

30A Skunkape

I like the 'house divided' touch of Auburn and Alabama crap hanging from the frame...along with that fake frilly thatch stuff and oversized fishing lures

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Mango

don't forget the coolers the size of sofas.

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seacrestkristi

TIME!!! Enuff is enuff already. Some one needs to trash that sheeet! Like a giant wind or wave in the middle of the night...just gone.

TNJed

As a "chair dude" I have a lot of thoughts on this subject, but I'll just hit the high points. There has been an ordinance in effect since '03 which says nothing may be left on the beach overnight. Obvious to everyone, this has not been enforced in the past and the word is they will start to enforce it in a few weeks or less.

The driving force behind this enforcement is the Turtle Watch group. They say the turtles bump into gear/crap left on the beach and get confused, turn around to the water failing to find the dunes and lay eggs.

Most of our "contracted beaches" are cleared each and every day. Single family homes who have delivered rental equipment are left out for the length of the rental, though I do not do these type rentals. The public access and beaches are tricky. We are supposed to clear these beaches as well but currently do not. Reason being is that if we did then all the water edge spots would still be filled by tents and other assorted "disposable" plastic goodies, thereby losing adequate beach space for our county permitted and tourist rented gear. So, we leave it out.

If the TDC and Turtle Watch want those beaches cleared each and every night, then it is fine by me. It will increase rentals, rates, and decrease much tent and cheaper chair garbage which is left each and every week. The problem I see, as others have pointed out, is the county's ability to properly enforce this.

If they haven't been able to enforce it for the past 4 years how will they suddenly be able to do it now? If ONE single tent is allowed to stay then the next day there will be a dozen more. It has to be an all or none type deal.

Clearing the beach for any given week is great, but the TDC and concerned parties better be willing to patrol, tag, and remove gear each and every Sunday/Monday morning when the new arrivals hit the beach. Failure to do so will only penalize county permitted companies such as mine who are willing to abide by the rules only to allow the public at large to get away with it because their name and phone number aren't silkscreened on their tents.

In short, I'm not worried that I'll have to pick my gear up each day. I'm worried the county will not be able to hold the public at large to the same standards due to a lack in manpower or willingness to commit the effort actually required to do what they are proposing. I don't think they have a good solid grasp on how much work this is going to take. On the other hand, it's a great opportunity to provide a job or twenty if handled the right way.

iwishiwasthere

It is so pretty! The stuff left over night looks awful.

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Miss Kitty

If it weren't toxic, it looks like a great start to a bonfire to me. Disgusting, trashy, thoughtless people. IMHO, all tents should be banned.

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The mind is like a parachute, it works best when it is open.

seacrestkristi

So that's where you been! Your a chair dude. Thanks for doin' the right thang for the turtles, TNJed! Maybe others will follow your cue.

kurt

Jed, I feel for you and I see it as an ongoing battle for you guys. It would be nice if you were authorized to hire an extra guy just to help enforce the area you service. But that would open a whole other can of worms for you. My guess is it will come down to personal relationships between you and someone in the county who you can give a call to on a periodic basis to come and clear your area. In between times you and your coworkers and everyone else you can enlist will need to get the word out. Once again the rental agencies will be a big ally for you and can help educate and market for you.

John R - thanks for posting the pics. The largest setup in the pic - those folks drink a lot of beer. They also have a powerful boom box blasting country music so that all of Grayton Beach must suffer. Such a pity when the sound of waves and children playing are not able to be heard on the breeze.

seaside2

Mermaid, TNJed, I hear what you are saying. I think that part of my simple minded confusion comes from what Jed said about private homes versus condo sites. Many times we have been at a private home and the chairs and umbrellas were left out over night. At the condos, they were (Or are ) not being left out.

I, for one, would love to see tents banned from the beach. Not a lot anyone can do about the boom boxes and too much beer other than try to communicate to these folks (LOL) that they are doing socially unacceptable acts.

The pics tell the story. Some people just don't get it.

Anyway, we'll be back in a few weeks (After the rug rats go back to school) and we promise to be good boys and girls.

Smiling JOe

When I heard their music, it was very loud, and more like pop-rock, but either way, if the Sheriff had been notified, they could have been issued a citation. I actually heard their music from Western Lake, and it grew louder as I approached Dead Crab Creek (the outflow).

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John R

not sure if it's the same crew or not, but there was some really loud music coming from one of the rental houses that front the creek.

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scooterbug44

I vote the TDC hires some folks to clean the beaches of ANY debris left overnight. It would reduce the clutter, leave the sheriff's office & beach patrol free to do their jobs, solve the enforcement problem, and keep debris from being airborne in a storm.

The collected items can either be resold or donated to an appropriate charity, depending on the item. I'm sure many a disaster victim would love a tent and a cooler and kiddie toys could be used at shelters.

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"I hate to break it to you, but this year (and probably the next few) was going to suck even if Jesus himself was president. These problems were not created overnight and they aren't going away overnight." -Jdarg

ozbeachmom

Those pictures are amazing. All it needed was a old couch and a junkyard dog to complete the picture. People are lazy, that is the bottom line, they do not want to have to haul all of that stuff down everyday. Lazy, Lazy, Lazy.

In regards to having the beach cleaned up every night or morning. What about people who have gotten in trouble with the law. They could do community service by cleaning up the beach.

BeachSiO2

I think the TDC is removing the items once the Sherrif's Department or Code Enforcement tags it. It's my understanding that the TDC does not have the legal authority to enforce the laws so that is why beach patrol and code enforcement has to tag them.

Smiling JOe

I'm not sure that I want prisoners, or people in trouble with the law, getting involved with removing items from the beach. I can see more trouble starting from the chair or tent owner getting heated with someone who doesn't need to get into more trouble.


Regarding laziness. I agree that some of it is attributed to laziness, but I think it is more due to people's unwillingness to change and their comfort. I've seen some people drive their trucks onto the beach to collect only their cooler and people, then leave all of the chairs, tents, crab nets, casting nets, waterguns, etc all in a big pile under the tent frame. These people actually have an easy means to pack it up and remove and replace it daily, but don't do it. Maybe you are right about them being lazy, but I believe there is something else happening in their minds. If these particular people are lazy, I would chunck them into the pile of "Extremely Lazy," not your average couch potato.

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