Items on the beach overnight

[Poodleone]

So where is the tagging and removal underway? Down here by Eastern Lake at the Ramsgate and Eastern Lake accesses, I didn't see either tags or removal this morning, and we still have a world-record amount of stuff on the beach.

How do beach chairs from the rental services fit into this? They are typically dropped off, left for several days, then removed at the end of the rental period. Will they be tagged, too?

I hate to say this, but the significant increase over last year in the amount of "private" stuff left overnight at Ramsgate/Eastern lake has seemed to coincide with a significant increase in the number of rental chairs placed in the area.

I agree with BMBV that the county or TDC should post warnings about tagging and removal. But I seriously doubt anyone would read them. There are already signs regarding the flags, litter, etc. at all of the public walkovers. I've never seen anyone stop and read the sign before going down the steps.

Tree Frog, you have hit it on the head! It has been nagging me what has caused the increase over the years of leaving stuff on the beach. What you said is true- as more and more beach rental chairs and umbrellas appear, people "assume" it is OK for them to leave their stuff out as well. Until last year, we had always stayed where the beach rental stuff was pulled in at night. Last year, we rented in Blue Mtn Beach, and it sat out on the beach all week.

I am not blaming the beach chair dudes- I just think it follows a pattern of beach visitor thought that "if they can leave their stuff out, it must be OK". We plan to pull in our rental stuff each night (or ask the beach chair dudes what can be done) this year.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Walton County Code of Ordinances
ARTICLE IV. REGULATION OF RECREATIONAL BEACH AND WATER ACTIVITIES*

Sec. 22-54. Regulation of use and conduct on the beach and water bodies.

(g) Obstructions on the beach. It shall be unlawful for beach chairs, umbrellas, tents, and other such personal articles to be on the beach in such a manner that they interfere with beach maintenance, nesting turtles, or emergency vehicles.


**********

Here is another good one:

Sec. 9-103. Littering prohibited. It is a violation of this article for any person to throw, discard, place, drop or deposit litter in any manner or amount in or upon any public property, private property, highway, street, right-of-way of body of water in the county except in areas and containers provided therefor.

(1) In any case where litter is ejected or discarded from a motor vehicle, except at approved and permitted disposal sites, the operator of the motor vehicle shall be in violation of this article.

(2) It shall be a violation of this article for any person to deposit any item, items or materials except litter in any receptacle placed for public use as a depository for litter.

(3) It shall be a violation of this article for any person to deposit household litter or waste materials in any receptacle, dumpster or container without the appropriate tag and the permission of the owner or person in control thereof.

(4) It shall be a violation of this article for any person to deposit any items or materials in receptacle placed for public use at county parks except those items generated during the utilization of said park, and in no event shall litter generated in a residential or commercial establishment be deposited in said receptacles.

(Ord. No. 93-5, art. 2 ? 2, 3-9-93)

 

[Smiling JOe]

Tree Frog, you have hit it on the head! It has been nagging me what has caused the increase over the years of leaving stuff on the beach. What you said is true- as more and more beach rental chairs and umbrellas appear, people "assume" it is OK for them to leave their stuff out as well. Until last year, we had always stayed where the beach rental stuff was pulled in at night. Last year, we rented in Blue Mtn Beach, and it sat out on the beach all week.

I am not blaming the beach chaiar dudes- I just think it follows a pattern of beach visitor thoughtt hat "if they can leave their stuff out, it must be OK". We plan to pull in our rental stuff each night (or ask the beach chair dudes what can be done) this year.

I can see why you might associate the two, but I notice some evidence that would lead me to believe that this reasoning is not accurate. In Grayton Beach, Sam Wesley (Grayton Beach Service), removes all of his chairs around 5pm each and every day. There are no rental sets left on the beach overnight in Grayton, yet we see perma-tents remaining all week, with loads of plastic crap, as well as garbage.

 

[scooterbug44]

Think minimal when taking objects on to the pristine beaches. We always told our kids to not carry more with them than they can carry back themselves cuz I got my own stuff to carry. Then I usually have minimal in my hand when I'm sayin' it. Sorry, I'm not haulin' gazillion toys. They should be entertainin' themselves with nature in Nature's playground. It works grayt. ;-) Babies don't need all that plastic junk either. It amazes me all the people that act as if they are the only one to ever have a baby on the beach. Get a grip. Water sunscreen, umbrella, blanket, bag, the basics. Ask yourself, 'Do I need to set up tent city for just 30 minutes a day of usage or am I just marking my territory basically? Will it affect others? Could it hurt others at night? In a few years you'll be upset when your child gets hurt tripping over someone's stuff or big hole when walkin' at sunset. The stuff is not only U-G-L-Y its hazardous whether you want to call it a private beach or not. Do you not care if others are hurt by your private sheeeet? Beaches are for everyone and the responsibility of us all to keep clean and pick up if you see litter. Its Gods beach not ours, but it is ours to take care of and enjoy while we are here on this planet. It's also grayt exercise to carry stuff off the beach, especially more than you carry on, litter, etc. The pristine beaches are what Sowal is all about in the first place right?

There's a big difference between what you NEED and what you THINK you need. Best way to make people cut back is to have them have to carry it all. Amazing what gets left behind when you have to personally carry it all!

I don't live beachfront, I have to walk (and schlep all my stuff) to the neighborhood access and up and down stairs too. As far as babies and their paraphenalia, my parents climbed mountains w/ my brother and I on their backs, so a couple blocks on flat land shouldn't be a major struggle unless you're overburdened.

 

[kittyness]

I can't fathom this "leaving my stuff on the beach while I'm not there" concept. The beach I most often visit is Galveston, TX. Sure, we leave our chairs and such on the beach when we're in the water but if you leave it any longer than that, someone will steal it. Or, it gets washed out to sea. If you want to keep your items, you take them with you each time you leave. Why is it so different in SoWal? Is it only the lack of theft? This baffles me. Plus, the idea of someone else using my stuff without my knowledge totally creeps me out.

 

[TreeFrog]

I can see why you might associate the two, but I notice some evidence that would lead me to believe that this reasoning is not accurate. In Grayton Beach, Sam Wesley (Grayton Beach Service), removes all of his chairs around 5pm each and every day. There are no rental sets left on the beach overnight in Grayton, yet we see perma-tents remaining all week, with loads of plastic crap, as well as garbage.

I'm glad for you Grayton folks that Sam is conscientious. We have 2 services working the Eastern Lake area now, and both of them leave their stuff out.

 

[TreeFrog]

It is my understanding that the tagging is done in the afternoon and then the removal is done after that. They started on Monday with the tagging and removing on Wednesday. The beach was initially broken into 7 segments since there was so much stuff. On Wednesday and Thursday the Miramar area was removed, today is Dune Allen so, if Eastern Lake wasn't tagged yesterday for Saturday removal, then it would probably be tagged today for Sunday removal. Based on the FAQ that BMBV posted earlier, the rental chairs are also part of the program:

http://beachesofsouthwalton.com/FAQRemoveItOrLoseIt.pdf

I'd like to be a fly on the wall when an angry beach chair service guy shows up at TDC or the Sheriff's substation wanting his chairs back. Assuming they really take them.

Wish I could monitor the tagging and removal at Eastern Lake this weekend, but I'm heading out of town for a week tomorrow AM. How about one of the other Eastern Lake SoWallers posting an update Sat or Sun?

 

[Poodleone]

I can see why you might associate the two, but I notice some evidence that would lead me to believe that this reasoning is not accurate. In Grayton Beach, Sam Wesley (Grayton Beach Service), removes all of his chairs around 5pm each and every day. There are no rental sets left on the beach overnight in Grayton, yet we see perma-tents remaining all week, with loads of plastic crap, as well as garbage.

I think seeing rental chairs left on the beach may have been one spark that it is ok to leave things over night. Kind of a "monkey see, monkey do" kind of thing. Can't you just see the scenario where someone sees rental chairs on the beach and thinks "well, I'll just leave the chairs and this one floaty". Then it is the chairs, a floaty and a tent. Then the chairs, a floaty, a tent and the sofa-sized cooler, Then.....

Reminds me of the scene in Steve Martin's movie The Jerk when he is leaving his wife and "And that's it and that's the only thing I need, is this. I don't need this or this. Just this ashtray. And this paddle game, the ashtray and the paddle game and that's all I need. And this remote control. The ashtray, the paddle game, and the remote control, and that's all I need. And these matches. The ashtray, and these matches, and the remote control and the paddle ball. And this lamp. The ashtray, this paddle game and the remote control and the lamp and that's all I need. And that's all I need too. I don't need one other thing, not one - I need this. The paddle game, and the chair, and the remote control, and the matches, for sure. And this. And that's all I need. The ashtray, the remote control, the paddle game, this magazine and the chair."

 

[Caroling]

I'm glad for you Grayton folks that Sam is conscientious. We have 2 services working the Eastern Lake area now, and both of them leave their stuff out.

I saw chairs this morning at Lakewood/Beachfront Tr (between Eastern Lake and Deer Lake) marked:
Butterfly Rentals 231-2826

Previously I've seen these:
Beach chair 4U rentals 231-4448 or 4446
267-2000 SWind Beach Service 231-2974

Maybe the previous ones are heeding the ordinance? Sorry my numbers might be wrong, the notes are rough. I had called on the beach and got recorders. They never called back. However, what do you think? Would a lot of complaints, tying up their phone lines, be educational and maybe persuasive for these squatters? After all, when they rent for more than a day, they simply are trying to make more money by doing less work.

 

[Smiling JOe]

I think seeing rental chairs left on the beach may have been one spark that it is ok to leave things over night. Kind of a "monkey see, monkey do" kind of thing. Can't you just see the scenario where someone sees rental chairs on the beach and thinks "well, I'll just leave the chairs and this one floaty". Then it is the chairs, a floaty and a tent. Then the chairs, a floaty, a tent and the sofa-sized cooler, Then.....

Sure, I can see it, but if that were the cause, we wouldn't see people do it at Grayton. I do think that seeing people in general, leaving their crap out on the beach for a week at a time, sparks ignite in people's minds. I do understand your thought, but I just point out that it isn't due to rentals in particular, but the rentals left out overnight surely add to the problems. ;-)