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.
Replies
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SoWal Expert
Agree. It makes zero sense. Under the scenario you describe, where exactly is the renter supposed to move the stuff to? The big resorts have those white boxes on the beach where they store the stuff each evening. Those old-school wooden chairs the vendors use are HEAVY. I sure as hell am not going to move them and kill my beer buzz every evening (not to mention throwing out my back)You could go to Grayton Beach and rent from Sam Wesley, of Grayton Beach Services. He removes his set-ups around 5pm daily. Since you rule out the option of paying more for daily set-ups, I guess the other option would be to buy cheap and light-weight chairs and umbrellas, or a towel and small umbrella. Try to simplify your set ups. When I go to the beach to actually hang out at the beach, as opposed to shooting photos, I will take either a chair and sometimes a small umbrella, and a bottle of water, or sometimes I just goop on the sunblock and take the sunblock and water. I leave the towel in the car to dry with when I get off the beach. As long as the sun isn't intense, I prefer the latter set up of nothing but water and sunscreen.
Problem is, renting by the day is MUCH more expensive than renting by the week. So what is one to do?
Beach Fanatic
It depends on the rental agency. As I pointed out earlier in this thread, the chair dudes set the chairs and umbrella up around 9 each morning and took it down no later than 5 (Greatly irritating Ms Seaside who wants to sit in the cair until after sunset while I bring her refreshments).
The company was beachchairs 4 u or something like that. Good guys, nice as can be, hard working, but insisted that this was the deal. Used to leave them all night, but.............. Wait a minute, been through all this before.
I think that going forward, I'll do my own chair and umbrella thing.
Sorry for the thread drift.
The company was beachchairs 4 u or something like that. Good guys, nice as can be, hard working, but insisted that this was the deal. Used to leave them all night, but.............. Wait a minute, been through all this before.
I think that going forward, I'll do my own chair and umbrella thing.
Sorry for the thread drift.
Meow
This came to me from my email to TDC....
From: Kevin Hargett
Sent: Monday, August 06, 2007 4:23 PM
To: Jennifer Cox
Subject: RE: siteInquiry
We probably could not use volunteers because of the legality of the dates on the tags. We need to make sure who filled out the tag and date. As far as stuff left on the beach and a possibility of reporting it. We are aware that allot of stuff is still being left on the beach. Obviously we cannot cover the entire beach in one day but the beach clean-up teams do cover it during a typical week. It is an ongoing effort.
Kevin Hargett
Code Enforcement
850-622-0000
From: Kevin Hargett
Sent: Monday, August 06, 2007 4:23 PM
To: Jennifer Cox
Subject: RE: siteInquiry
We probably could not use volunteers because of the legality of the dates on the tags. We need to make sure who filled out the tag and date. As far as stuff left on the beach and a possibility of reporting it. We are aware that allot of stuff is still being left on the beach. Obviously we cannot cover the entire beach in one day but the beach clean-up teams do cover it during a typical week. It is an ongoing effort.
Kevin Hargett
Code Enforcement
850-622-0000
Beach FanaticAuthor
This came to me from my email to TDC....
From: Kevin Hargett
Sent: Monday, August 06, 2007 4:23 PM
To: Jennifer Cox
Subject: RE: siteInquiry
We probably could not use volunteers because of the legality of the dates on the tags. We need to make sure who filled out the tag and date. As far as stuff left on the beach and a possibility of reporting it. We are aware that allot of stuff is still being left on the beach. Obviously we cannot cover the entire beach in one day but the beach clean-up teams do cover it during a typical week. It is an ongoing effort.
Kevin Hargett
Code Enforcement
850-622-0000
Also note that the tags include a Case number which I don't think a general citizen can assign.
SoWal Expert
Also note that the tags include a Case number which I don't think a general citizen can assign.As mentioned earlier, only Code Enforcement and the Sheriff's Office have the authority to tag the items for legal removal, but nice try, Miss Kitty. I would love to get my hands on some tags.
Beach Fanatic
This came to me from my email to TDC....
From: Kevin Hargett
Sent: Monday, August 06, 2007 4:23 PM
To: Jennifer Cox
Subject: RE: siteInquiry
We probably could not use volunteers because of the legality of the dates on the tags. We need to make sure who filled out the tag and date. As far as stuff left on the beach and a possibility of reporting it. We are aware that allot of stuff is still being left on the beach. Obviously we cannot cover the entire beach in one day but the beach clean-up teams do cover it during a typical week. It is an ongoing effort.
Kevin Hargett
Code Enforcement
850-622-0000
Our "brilliant" sheriff could have placed the two pregnant deputies on light duty and had them assist in the tagging process instead of terminating them.....I'm sure that they would have agreed to that option......
I smell another costly lawsuit involving our tax dollars....
Beach Fanatic
As mentioned earlier, only Code Enforcement and the Sheriff's Office have the authority to tag the items for legal removal, but nice try, Miss Kitty. I would love to get my hands on some tags.
We should create some Citizens tags. They would not be enforceable but they would be informational. Sorry I said "we", meaning lame excuse for not doing it myself. I like the sticker idea better. If they can litter the beach, I don't see why we can't do it too, in our own way. I would suggest that citizens notices be simple, saying what to do and citing the legal basis for the statement. Such as:
Remove items from beach at night (sunset to sunrise)
Obstructions on the Beach are unlawful
Walton County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 22, Article IV, Section 22-54 (g)
By the way, for the lady wanting to watch the sunset reclining on her chair with beverages served, I think that's lovely. She would move if she sees a turtle coming. And she would remove items when she left, with her (adoring) servant(s).
Beach Fanatic
Caroling,
Ms Seaside thinks so too. I am just the cabana boy (with certain limited rights LOL)
Ms Seaside thinks so too. I am just the cabana boy (with certain limited rights LOL)
Beach Fanatic
Our "brilliant" sheriff could have placed the two pregnant deputies on light duty and had them assist in the tagging process instead of terminating them.....I'm sure that they would have agreed to that option......
What a great idea!
I bet between the two of them they might even be able to cover more than one/seventh of the beach on a shift.
hmmmm......can't remember
As mentioned earlier, only Code Enforcement and the Sheriff's Office have the authority to tag the items for legal removal, but nice try, Miss Kitty. I would love to get my hands on some tags.
I have this image of y'all running up and down the beach like Barney Fife yelling, "Citizen's arrest! Citizen's arrest!"
Edited
Beach Fanatic
I have this image of y'all running up and down the beach like Barney Fife yelling, "Citizen's arrest! Citizen's arrest!":rofl: :rofl:
SoWal Expert
In my vision a cape and homemade badge are involved!
hmmmm......can't remember
In my vision a cape and homemade badge are involved!
Neither Kitty nor I liked our superhero names, so you can be either the Sophisticated Chameleon or the Courageous Chameleon...
Beach Fanatic
Neither Kitty nor I liked our superhero names, so you can be either the Sophisticated Chameleon or the Courageous Chameleon...
Someone could be SuperSoWal
SoWal Expert
In my vision a cape and homemade badge are involved!I'm loving the idea of some caped and masked beach educators.
Beach Fanatic
But would you "Barneys" carry a single bullet buttoned up in your shirt pocket?
Beach Fanatic
But would you "Barneys" carry a single bullet buttoned up in your shirt pocket?
Who is Barney Fife? That is, with respect to beach. -- duh
Beach Lover
The beach looks so peaceful right now. No tents, no chairs, just beautiful!!!
Beach Fanatic
The beach looks so peaceful right now. No tents, no chairs, just beautiful!!!I was just thinking the same thing!
Who is Barney Fife? That is, with respect to beach. -- duh
Meow
The beach looks so peaceful right now. No tents, no chairs, just beautiful!!!
...just how it is supposed to look, right? SJ...I was not surprised at the reply I received...especially knowing now that maybe the right hand and the left hand are not completely working together. I still applaud the efforts being made and hope they get it in sync. I am really digging caroling's idea of "citizen's stickers"....just think how y'all (I can't do it in the summer) could stick it to those litterers!!!
SoWal Expert
The beach looks so peaceful right now. No tents, no chairs, just beautiful!!!That might have something to do with the 100F degree temps we've had lately. Today's heat index is 110F degrees,
and it feels every bit like it.Edited
Beach Lover
From what i hear the water temps are in the 90's? That is amazing!! That wouldnt cool anyone off IMO. Time to just stay inside and have a cold drink. Heat indexes are about the same for today also. Everyone please check on elderly and pets today. its just too hot for anyone to not have adequate A/C. A friend of mine emailed me and told me that she was in grocery store yesterday and over the speaker system, the store manager was asking who owned a Toyota 4 Runner. That they had left their pet inside the car. Now that would have ticked me to no end. I am pretty sure i would have went straight out and busted the window and got the animal out. Went to jail no doubt, but saved a pet. LOL!! You just cant fix stupid sometime huh?
SoWal Expert
Lake temps are around 90F degrees, but the Gulf, near the shores of SoWal isn't quiet there.
Edited
Beach Fanatic
View attachment 5942
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Yesterday's heat sucked, no doubt about it. My wife and I were lucky enough to be doing some field work about 200 yards from Morrison springs. The water was a nice 75 Degs. Let's just say we had a nice lunch swim to cool things down.
View attachment 5943
View attachment 5944
Yesterday's heat sucked, no doubt about it. My wife and I were lucky enough to be doing some field work about 200 yards from Morrison springs. The water was a nice 75 Degs. Let's just say we had a nice lunch swim to cool things down.
Edited
Beach Fanatic
... t the Gulf, near the shores of SoWal isn't quite there.
I just sampled Eastern lake north in a canoe. We saw an otter swimming playfully about until a motorboating fisherman appeared or it saw us. I walked down to the outlet. Tent cities to east and to west, thick, all over the beach!!! The Gulf water felt delightfully cool. I'm surprised the heat didn't bother me today. Didn't even think about it. There is a nice breeze.
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