organicmama

I took the kids out late this afternoon/early evening to the beach access at Dune Allen. Everyone had left, including the lifeguard. We were playing in the sand right in front of the access saw over to the left (when facing the Gulf) a man come out of his house and walk about halfway out to shore & pound a sign into the sand with a bucket. There was already a sign facing Dune Allen on his "property" (AKA the beach) that it was private property.

He went back up onto his deck and he watched us for about 10 minutes and then went inside. I don't know if he thought we were hooligans or something but his actions were strange, to say the least. We were at least 75 feet away from his "private property." And, I was picking up trash, ciggies & other crap off the beach. He obviously waited for everyone to go home before posting that, so that tomorrow, everyone could see where they shouldn't be, according to him.

This saddened me a lot. I didn't walk over there, because it would have been a blatant action on my part. With 2 young kids and a toddler dragging along behind me, not wanting to do anything but play in the sand... he would have known I was up to something.

That sign would blow away in any hard wind and just be more trash on the beach and in the water. Signs on the beach, besides official ones, should be . They are atrocious.

Secondly, I (sort of) understand the whole idea of wanting your private space/sanctuary, but if that is what one wants, why build/buy a home right on a beach, ESPECIALLY right next to beach access??? To start posting ugly as h*** signs all over the beach, telling locals & tourists alike that they are not allowed on that location is rude. I can think of some other choice words, but I won't use them.

When are we going to get back to the idea of community? What is it going to take for us to wake up and stop biotching & moaning at each other? When are we going to realize that we are no better than someone else & that our needs are no more or less important that anyone else's?

Dave & others have mentioned it in the Blue Sign thread more than once, that we have successfully pulled together as a community to do something about the signs because they are eyesores. We need to pull together to make this community one we can all be proud of, without the nastiness of property rights regarding beaches & ugly signs (including for sale signs all over) everywhere.

This can be done and we can all be proud of SoWal as a whole.

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Francis David

cp

this sucks (sorry about my language)

organicmama

Yep. My thoughts/comments were worse. I just didn't say them.

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Francis David

30A Skunkape

You ought to limp around in fake agony around that sign (splattering some fake blood on you and the kids would help) screaming about how you walked into it and gashed your leg wide open...scream loudly about contacting an attorney...lots of drama will bring it down

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organicmama

He might have left us for dead.

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You need not think alike to love alike.
Francis David

Mango

It was my understanding that gulf front properties owners in Dune Allen did NOT own up the MHWL.

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Smiling JOe

I don't fault you on being afraid to look at the truth.I don't fault you on being afraid to look at the truth.

Maybe we need to make up some tee-shirts using my signature line, and go sit on the beach in front of his house.

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organicmama

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You need not think alike to love alike.
Francis David

organicmama

I'm gonna go check in the am before soccer games to see what the signs say specifically, up close & personal. I can jump and run easier without the kids trying to play.

__________________
You need not think alike to love alike.
Francis David

kathydwells

This is so sad to me.

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InletBchDweller

OM, how sad!!

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organicmama

It is sad.

From now on, I'm taking binoculars with me to the beach, so I can pretend to be bird watching but be able to check crap like this out from afar. I'm not the "in your face" type, especially with little ducklings behind me. I'm very wary & protective regarding my own actions because I don't want a possible backlash to affect them.

__________________
You need not think alike to love alike.
Francis David

seacrestkristi

Maybe it's there now. Go see with someone Watch out for the holes though gull. That should be outlawed on the beach~private property signs all over. It's way too pretty for that.

organicmama

Can't leave 3 kids at home asleep by themselves.... I'd be arrested!

__________________
You need not think alike to love alike.
Francis David

Smiling JOe

We could pretend we were blind and walk into the signs, and get an attorney.

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aleonard

I don't see good at night. I'll be your lawsuit dummy

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NOLA TRANSPLANT

O.K. So I wasn't raised near the beach, NOWHERE near the beach and as a matter of fact am still adjusting to beach life so could someone clear this up for me??

I have been told so many different things but the most commonly one I hear is the beach is public and no one can be bared from any stretch of beach unless it's been closed by the officials due to something like sea turtles or rebuilding the dunes or something along the lines of these things, not because someone owns a stretch of beach in front to there home.
Please in as few words as possible can someone explain this to me??
Thanks Ya"ll

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wrobert

It can not be done in a few words. I thought the TDC was working on a map last year to show where the deeds were to the high water mark and where they were to the water so this would not be such a problem this year.

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rapunzel

What I find most sad is that this person didn't appreciate that OM and her three children playing made the beach a more beautiful place. Those three children are three of the most beautiful children I've ever seen. IMHO, scenes like that only enhance the beauty of the beach.

I totally get why people would tire of crowds of Spring Breakers dropping drink box straw wrappers everywhere, but I think we as a community should be able to find a better option for keeping the beaches visited, but not overwhelmed.

Again, I think the TDC has a role....their emphasis on growth is short sighted. A 26% increase in bed tax may be great for the TDC board members, but a pace like that is not sustainable if we hope to have pleasant beaches and reasonable quality of life.

Sustainable growth, beach access to minimize density, preserve the natural beauty of the area -- these should be goals we all agree on.

Smiling JOe

"The beaches of Florida are of such a character...as to require separate consideration from other lands with respect to the elements and consequences of title." -- FL Supreme Court

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Hop

Organic Mama...i'm pretty sure Dune Allen Beach belongs to me...you're welcome to use it however you wish...

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seacrestkristi

Just for the record some visitors and 2nd homeowners help clean too.
It's not all visitors littering the beach and sowal.

organicmama

Punzy, thank you so much! That was sweet. The way I see it, all kids are beauties, not just mine.

You're right, the whole point is better options that take into consideration everyone & sustainability.

__________________
You need not think alike to love alike.
Francis David

goodwitch58

OM, sorry for your disturbing experience....


Wouldn't it be nice if everyone who is fortunate to have a gulf front home in this wonderful place realized that sharing the beach with friends and neighbors and tourists and especially children just adds to the joy .....

wouldn't it be nice if everyone picked up after themselves and taught their children to do the same...

wouldnt it be nice if all parents watched their little ones to be sure they are safe in the water...

wouldn't be nice if our leadership read Rapunzel's post and actually started to work on these kinds of goals...

wouldn't it be nice if we all decided we really wanted to work toward improving our community every day...and, then, actually did something toward that end...

wouldn't it be nice if that person in Dune Allen thought about how offensive his sign is to the children, and actually took it down...

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Smiling JOe

Maybe we need a bunch of minors to do beach sit ins. Surely the Sheriff want arrest a bunch of 8 year olds for sitting on the beach, with charges of trespassing. Can you imagine the headlines around the world?

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sunspotbaby

OM- that really ticks me off. A few years ago when they were doing the sit-ins in Destin I wrote a column on my thoughts about several beach issues. (I got some nasty responses from homeowners) I went down to Dune Allen and walked, and those atrocious walkovers that people had built after Ivan that stretched an ungodly distance to the water were such eyesores to the view. I don't even know if they're still there, but I couldn't believe they were allowed to build them!

Sorry you had to go through that...I think the kiddies doing a sit in is a great idea...if we could only get them to sit!!
Here's the column if you want to read it.

Attached Files

beach issues.pdf (91.7 KB, 22 views)

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Goddessgal

Sorry I don't have anything eloquent to say, just ARRRRRGGH!!!!!

and yeah! What they said!!!

scooterbug44

The thing that REALLY gets me is that these people aren't even using the beach, but they still have to keep others from enjoying it.

A mom with 3 little kids who is PICKING UP OTHER PEOPLE'S TRASH - That sure as sheet would have me running outside to post illegal signs.

They can argue property rights and MHWL and legal precedent as long as they want, but at the end of the day these people are just selfish arseholes who enjoy ruining other people's fun and who didn't learn the kindergarten lesson about sharing and courtesy.

For anyone who gets run off a "private" beach, PM me and I'll give you directions to a parking space and beach where the neighbors have some manners. If you bring your own towels, you can use the shower too!

organicmama

I did go back out there this afternoon. I didn't want to be falsely accusing anyone of anything, so I wanted to make sure what the sign said.

I told Mr. OM this morning about the situation & his response was, "You better be glad I wasn't with you because I would have marched up to his door & asked him 'What the f-bomb???' I cannot stand people who do that so don't get me started!!!!" This is from my non-political husband who doesn't like to get into with people, MOST of the time.

Luckily, the guy's car wasn't there, so I pretty much knew all was clear. I let the lifeguard know what I was doing beforehand AND that I normally don't do things like this. The LG's response was that although he didn't agree with the whole private property issues on the beach, the guy did have a right to post them. He said if I got harrassed, just say I was going for a walk. He gave me his opinion of the homeowner, but I won't express it here.

The sign facing the access was a private property sign telling people to walk along the shore & even mentioned keeping dogs out of his property. The one he put up while we were there yesterday was a smaller version of the same sign, telling people to stay along the water, but no mention of dogs.

I went back up and spoke with the LG and he said again he really doesn't agree with the private property on the beach issue but that homeowners pay a lot of money for that right. We chatted for a little while about the subject and I took the kids and left.

I know the homeowner simply waited until everyone was gone to post the signs yesterday. It wasn't about US. We just happened to be there when he did it. It just floored me that as humans, we think we OWN everything. That's what gets to me. My kids were oblivious to the whole thing.

NOTE: We don't look like we deserve the Blue Wave Beach designation with all the signs. Yep, I said it. It trashes up the place just as much as the trash does.

SoWal is at a turning point in growth. We can either develop gracefully (which I know means one thing to one person & another to someone else) or we can explode into areas like FWB, Destin & PCB. That's what the issue with the TDC signs is about and that's what the issue with property rights is about also. As a community, it's our choice, ultimately.

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Francis David

organicmama

Not according to the lifeguard I spoke to today. He said there's a lady over at Ed Walline that doesn't put signs up, just lets her dog bark like mad at people on the beach when they're on her "property."

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Francis David

organicmama

Thank you, Hop! That's very sweet of you!

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Francis David

organicmama

Your point about beach access was great! All that keeps popping into my head is a generalized version of the Native American belief that we really don't own any land.

I hate to get really philosophical but I do believe that in the coming years, we are really going to have to relearn the value of community & of sharing. We can't continue down this road of "It's mine!!!" for much longer.

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sandybanks

OM, I have a state park pass. You may want to get one. They're not that much and you can go at night. If I remember correctly there is a park just on the other side of Sea Side. It is a beautiful park.

They have showers and park rangers there. For as little as I think $86.00 you have your own beach. I live on the water and see how anal people get when someone gets on their property but let me say living on the water is over rated anyway.

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organicmama

Thanks, sandybanks! We actually live near Topsail & go there frequently, but the kids like using various accesses. There is an access quite close to the edge of Topsail that we use 90% of the time & have no trouble with homeowners or anything. That's why I've never experienced any of this at all.

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steele mama

Sounds like the perfect place for a soiree!

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organicmama

Steele mama, you are so funny! It's even funnier because you are so kind & proper that outrageous behaviour like that just seems so unlike you but then also so like you at the same time!!!! Hugs & Love from all of us!

__________________
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Francis David

steele mama

Kind and proper???? Oh thanks so much. Love you too! It would be friendly soiree.

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Wala!

peapod1980

Girl, you're on a roll today!

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JustaLocal

If you are talking about the home adjacent and east of the Dune Allen Access, that property extends south of his deck about just 65 feet. I looked at his survey.

I spoke with code enforcement about his sign when he first posted it. He put it at the southwest corner of his property but it's wording "please walk near the shore" or some words to that effect are misleading. Code enforcement told me that since he references a Florida Statute on the sign it is a DEP matter, not Walton County. I'm seriously considering making my own sign to put right next to his saying this beach is for public use referencing F.S. 253.001. Mine should stay up too.

organicmama

He put up a second sign on the east side of his property, facing the water.

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Francis David

JustaLocal

At least I know where* to put my towel and chair this Summer!

*South of and between his signs.

Smiling JOe

OM, was it at the Ft Panic access, the one with the big parking lot?

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organicmama

Yes. We usually don't go there but the girls wanted to yesterday. We're usually off Bishop.

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You need not think alike to love alike.
Francis David

Smiling JOe

which direction were the priv property signs, east or west of that access?

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Minnie

The problem is that with all things the bad of a few affects everyone.

Organicmama was doing a good thing and being respectful of the beach and not bothering anyone, as stated, enhancing the beauty of the area with picking up litter and having children playing.

However just as you have her being respectful you have others that are not. They litter, they come to to the beach front property and throw up, urinate or worse and get into homeowners pools. I have seen this behavior in person at friends who have homes affected.

I am sure this behavior is not exhibited by anyone that will read this; but it happens and then innocents such as OM and her children suffer for it.

It is sad and have no idea what the answer is.

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organicmama

East of it.

We have always instinctively gone west when we have used that access. Yesterday, we were in front of it because absolutely no one was there AND it was chilly, so we never made it to the water.

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You need not think alike to love alike.
Francis David

organicmama

Your are totally right. I agree wholeheartedly. It irritates me to no end seeing people trash the beach or private property. I also think, "Didn't their parents raise them better than that???"

My thought about the beaches & ownership is that I would assume, if I bought property on the beach, I would naturally be sharing it with those who come to the beach. Then, instead of privatizing it, I would seek to inform people about respecting the beauty of the beach, instead of littering, etc. Putting up a sign to say "Keep off" or "Private Property" on the beach wouldn't cross my mind. A driveway, pool or a yard is a totally different matter.

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Francis David

Minnie

Totally agree, such a shame that others do not know proper behavior.

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"Whoever one is, and wherever one is, one is always in the wrong if one is rude." ~Maurice Baring

Smiling JOe

That is very interesting. I may have to take a look-see. Those lots to the immediate east do not appear to be platted to the Mean High Water Mark.

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organicmama

You are right on! That's part of the reason I'd never buy on the beach, as it irks me that people haven't evolved enough to know they need to clean up after themselves and behave in an at least halfway decent manner. I guess they think they can't have funn without making a mess!

Which is what Mango was saying earlier. I went & looked at the signs today because I didn't want to accuse someone of something without knowing what I was talking about.

__________________
You need not think alike to love alike.
Francis David