Enforcement for remove it or lose it?

As I have been on a quest to simply my life a bit, I have been taking less and less to the beach lately. At Grayton on Sunday, I noticed more toys than I'd ever seen, many were probably hauled down in cars. It was a zoo! What ever happened to giving a kid, one small plastic shovel and a small plastic bucket? It would be much easier to check and make sure your kid collected both of his or her toys before leaving the beach.

My last trip to the beach, other than my swimsuit and shirt which I wore, I took a small umbrella, sunblock, camera, kayak and paddle. I hauled it a few hundred feet down the beach, and set up. When I wasn't paddling, I was standing around in the water or sitting on the sand (no towel) under the umbrella. It felt so good to be that connected with the Earth. Camera is waterproof, so I didn't have to worry about my electronics getting wet. It is so relieving. I was wet and sandy and it felt good. In fact, it was one of my more funn days at the beach. I enjoy sitting in a comfy chair, but in all honesty, if I am wearing my swimsuit, and leave the phone in the car, I don't much care if I get a little sandy. I haven't taken a towel to the beach in several years. My towel always ended up sandy, which made me sandy, then, I had to dry off with a damp sandy towel. Now, I just keep one in the car to sit on for the ride home. The sun dries me off. It really is a joy to throw the cards into the air and see how they fall every once in a while. It is very easy to get into a habit without giving thought to why we do the things we do.

Sorry, I don't buy into the legal excuse of not removing beach items in the morning because they may be on private property. Wonder how long it took our county to think up that one. They DO NOT even ticket or remove items at county walk over's so why did they spend all that money on the signs at each entrance? Yep, convenient excuse and don't believe it for a minute! I guess the tourists have won again! Remember, these are the same people who unfortunately ignore the double red flags!

THE catamaran? Singular?

This morning at 6:45 you could see 4 from the Ramsgate walkover, three big ones and a little 6 or 8 footer. Two on each side of the lake outlet.

You're correct. It was the little one I was referring to, next to the tent frame and chairs. I gave the owner a polite "heads up" the other day saying it could get hauled away if left there. He said he had just dragged it down there and this was 6:30 am. Unless footprints look like catamaran drag marks I ain't buyin' it.

que sera sera

I feel like I should know you as we are in the same area around the same time. If you see me give me a wave.

middle ground? i don't think turtles have a middle ground mentality. nor is there a middle ground at the emergency room for someone who's injured.

there are those who will attempt to justify any behavior. the law is the law, when you break it, you are making a choice.

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Without any enforcement this summer, the beaches of South Walton are going to be an absolute mess.


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I wonder where I could score some Remove It tags???

Hopefully, some of our news hounds that frequent this site will see this thread and do a story for all the local newspapers, radio, television and internet sites. It would be a proactive attempt to keep the problem from getting worse. I imagine our friends all along the Emerald Coast are having some of the same problems. Freedom Newspapers is a chain and could get wide coverage from Pensacola to Apalachicola. Our local tv stations out of Panama City Beach and Panama City, get fairly wide coverage. Pensacola and Tallahassee media should pick up on it, too. Maybe Turtle Watch will put out a press release repeating why this is so important.

I wonder where I could score some Remove It tags???

I was just thinking the same thing.

Do the tags have info on why it is important to remove the items from the beach? Without the thought behind the rule, people won't get it.

IMO locals take care of the beach all year, picking up trash, and discarded and no longer needed beach chairs, toys, etc. It seems that out of towner/staters, with no tie to the area, simply leave their brains at home, they are on vacation and anything goes. The lack of regard for our beaches, roads and locals just fries me. Pick up your tents, bottles, cigarette butts, diapers, etc... when you leave the beach...no excuses!!!

crap on the beach

ok...new sign in my yard...LEAVE MY BICYCLE ALONE...FREE YARD SALE ON BEACH AFTER DARK (still smarting and whining about my stolen bike)

I like the idea of an after dark yard sail (sale) on the beach!!!! Good one.

Sorry about the bike, that bites!

ok...new sign in my yard...LEAVE MY BICYCLE ALONE...FREE YARD SALE ON BEACH AFTER DARK (still smarting and whining about my stolen bike)

I like the idea of an after dark yard sail (sale) on the beach!!!! Good one.

Sorry about the bike, that bites!

Please remember to use approved Turtle lights while shopping.

The tags have a case number assigned to them. While I'm not against home-grown tags, I doubt a non law enforcement person could get their hands on the genuine article.

Thinking about the lack of tagging issue and those throwing around the idea of home made tags I remembered "shame" is a powerful motivator. I was thinking along the lines of those judges who make convicted shoplifters and such wear "I stole from this store" signs outside the stores in lieu of serving time.

What about a similar tag for items left on the beach? Something like....

"Please excuse our mess. We left all our crap out last night because beach ordinances don't apply to us." - This message approved by the Big Brother Beach Patrol and baby turtles.

We walked the beach at first light this morning and I was really upset at all the junk out there. I usually don't walk in the morning and so wasn't aware of how much there was. And the holes left everywhere. Huge holes, it was an obstacle course just to walk.
How does education about the importance of protecting the beaches for turtles get elevated as high as it needs to be?

Thinking about the lack of tagging issue and those throwing around the idea of home made tags I remembered "shame" is a powerful motivator. I was thinking along the lines of those judges who make convicted shoplifters and such wear "I stole from this store" signs outside the stores in lieu of serving time.

What about a similar tag for items left on the beach? Something like....

"Please excuse our mess. We left all our crap out last night because beach ordinances don't apply to us." - This message approved by the Big Brother Beach Patrol and baby turtles.

That is much nicer than my evil idea that involved hanging a rubber turtle from their crap w/ a note that read "thank you for killing me, love bob the baby sea turtle."

I figured that would be bad for tourism and that those kids have enough issues because they have parents who leave their crap on the beach - symptomatic of so many other bad decisions/attitudes. ;-)

That is much nicer than my evil idea that involved hanging a rubber turtle from their crap w/ a note that read "thank you for killing me, love bob the baby sea turtle."

That must be right out of the PETA handbook. I think the kids would just play with the turtle and add it to the nightly pile.

I figured that would be bad for tourism and that those kids have enough issues because they have parents who leave their crap on the beach - symptomatic of so many other bad decisions/attitudes. ;-)

Agreed. And I would further add it is symptomatic of our ever increasing isolationist culture. ie text messages, emails, message boards (ahem ), family buses with tinted windows....

Technology provides some amazing conveniences but is individual convenience worth the cost of community?

"The price of anything is amount of life you exchange for it." - Henry Thoreau.

Okay, I digress but you got me thinking...

Agreed. And I would further add it is symptomatic of our ever increasing isolationist culture. ie text messages, emails, message boards (ahem ), family buses with tinted windows....

I don't think of text messages, emails, or message boards as isolationist, but it's probably how I use them as opposed to how the general public uses them. ;-)

I don't think of text messages, emails, or message boards as isolationist, but it's probably how I use them as opposed to how the general public uses them. ;-)

Yeah it's never me either; says one anonymous post to the other. ;-)

Since we usually pass each other several times a week on 30-A, and it's been less than a week since I talked to many others on the board in person I don't think it's too isolationist! ;-)

Yeah it's never me either; says one anonymous post to the other. ;-)

You're absolutely right about SoWal.com. This board being community oriented is exactly how technology can be very very useful. Lumping my theories on this board is ironic as SoWal is one of a few exceptions to my rule.

Though I believe you have me at a disadvantage. It's no secret who I am (I don't think), but I'd love to know who a scooterbug is. Perhaps I do and didn't realize. We need a SoWal gang-sign to throw to one another. Maybe just a .

I've totally hijacked this thread...apologies all around.

Sorry, I don't buy into the legal excuse of not removing beach items in the morning because they may be on private property. Wonder how long it took our county to think up that one. They DO NOT even ticket or remove items at county walk over's so why did they spend all that money on the signs at each entrance? Yep, convenient excuse and don't believe it for a minute! I guess the tourists have won again! Remember, these are the same people who unfortunately ignore the double red flags!

I think the TDC actually had to cut a check to somebody for removing an item from private property. A former TDC employee described the process of debris removal to me, and it is mind boggling to hear the task that is accomplished daily in a narrow window of time. The key is educating people to remove their crap from the beach!

You're absolutely right about SoWal.com. This board being community oriented is exactly how technology can be very very useful. Lumping my theories on this board is ironic as SoWal is one of a few exceptions to my rule.

Though I believe you have me at a disadvantage. It's no secret who I am (I don't think), but I'd love to know who a scooterbug is. Perhaps I do and didn't realize. We need a SoWal gang-sign to throw to one another. Maybe just a .

I've totally hijacked this thread...apologies all around.

There isn't much we haven't discussed:

SoWal Beaches Forum

I'm looking real hard at Salvage rights. Once again camping on the beach is against the Law.