Death today at Seagrove Beach

[Miss Kitty]

thank you ozmom for your observations. okay, what has changed and when did it happen? has this been a gradual change in behaviour or is eveyone just seeing new and worse behaviour this summer? seems to me that every summer brings a new problem and that one problem is not addressed (trash)...then the next summer comes and there is a new something (things left on beach overnight) and next summer (holes being dug)....etc.

How about someone start a list of issues and to the right list the laws on the book that cover it or possible solutions.

Please don't let scooterb see this.

 

[GoodWitch58]

This year is about as bad as I've ever seen it. What bothers me the most are the parents who let little children play in the rough surf while they sleep under a tent --I have witnessed so many unsafe situations with the children...these children 2 and 3 years of age, could be washed away in a rip current and the parents wouldn't even know they were gone.

What are these folks thinking?

 

[seagrovegirl]

This year is about as bad as I've ever seen it. What bothers me the most are the parents who let little children play in the rough surf while they sleep under a tent --I have witnessed so many unsafe situations with the children...these children 2 and 3 years of age, could be washed away in a rip current and the parents wouldn't even know they were gone.

What are these folks thinking?

The vacation fairy will protect them...............

 

[30A Skunkape]

I'm really to the point of looking forward to complaining about slow moving buicks and price checks on 10 cent items at Publix. :roll:

You love snowbirds, and you know it

 

[30A Skunkape]

I've been thinking the same thing. Usually, I absolutely crave the summer, but this year I can hardly wait for it to be over...

true dat

 

[scooterbug44]

People misbehave because there are no consequences! Enforce the hail out of the "no items on the beach" and make up the budget shortfall writing tickets for going in the water on red flag days. When people complain tell them "this is the law". No exceptions, no warnings, no whining.

What exactly are we afraid of - that the national media will jump on a story that we are (gasp) actually enforcing basic laws to protect an endangered species, keep the beaches clean and safe, and prevent drowning deaths?

Don't vacation in Sowal, they try to keep you from drowning! Story at 11! :roll:

Yesterday I jokingly made the ridonkulous suggestion that we start having a PA system that broadcasts announcements about beach conditions for those who can't properly see the flags........................then saw a clip on the evening news of the PC police doing just that!

The video shows a police officer driving down the beach in an official pick-up, broadcasting "it is a double red flag day, stay out of the water" over and over. Her frustrated comment of "they just don't listen" before she stops the truck to rescue someone REALLY sums the issue up for me!

 

[IRIETYMES]

My first hand observations

Guess the rant continues for me....back here for the fourth time this year (since december 31st, 2007) and am appalled to note over and over man's ignorance, stupidty, hostility towards anyone with an opinion other than their own. Once again we watch as people dig holes from boredom, competition, ignorance; throw their trash down and walkaway as if the beach fairy will just clean it up, ignore flags, conditions, common sense. Maybe it is a vacation mode one reaches away from home. Maybe it is just a mean streak that says "I am independent and I can do any damn thing I wanna at any damn time I wanna", or it is a mask behind which fear of anything threatening to individual "freedoms" hide. Not to get too philosophical. Yesterday I picked up four plastic jugs and two full bags of trash on my walk from the Powell Lake outlet to our beach area at Inlet Beach and just had to walk away from somethings I saw or have my blood pressure surge to nasty levels. It, the flagrant disregard for "rules", isn't restricted to class, education, regional or religious differences, race, color or creed. It is pervasive. So I really believe it is education. Whatever is being done to educate the vacationing public isn't done thoroughly or completely or constantly enough. It will take the flags, posted warnings, printed materials, refrigerator magnets, radio commercials, TV spots, banners, lifeguard warnings, sheriff and other officials patrolling the beaches verbal and PA warnings, for years from January through December. Require all rental agents and companys to provide the warning materials for each rental unit/home/condo or face fines. Issue citations and demand ID for any issuance even if the recipient of msuch a warning must return to their unit for an ID. Follow-up on all citations. Get tough. As far as the fear of local government being seen as tough on beach violations, it reminds me of the early scenes in "Jaws" when the local officials fear posting beach closed signs or shark warning signs for fear of loosing tourist income.

Anyway, I shed a tear or two when I think about the days when the sands would sing when you walked, when the small bits of trash were almost unnoticeable, when the clusters of beach umbrellas disappeared each night, when one could walk the beach at night wiout a flashlight on a good moon and not step in a hole and sprain an ankle. Maybe we can return to those days if everyone here becomes an activist and demand visitors behave according to local laws and rules. That's my take.

 

[DavidD]

I know that when my family is going to go the the beach, we actively look for flags or research the situation before we go. I also know that there are lots of stickers, magnets, pamphlets, ect. out there with the flag system to educate the public. I think that the problem is that there are many visitors who don't know the systems, or moreover, don't want to know the system. They spend a lot of money to visit for a few days and they really don't want someone telling them that they can't/shouldn't go in the water. Unfortunately you can't save someone from themselves, but I fear for their children who trust their parents for their well being. I agree with Goodwitch 58 that for the good of the public, we should have a more aggressive campaign, something less harsh than "When 2 Reds Fly - People Die" (with some strong simple graphics). This is probably too harsh I know, but honestly, people need to be shocked into awareness sometimes, a visual slap. But I also agree with Geo that the TDC is trying to convince people to visit, not scare them away, so they would not likely help a fear based campaign.
I would gladly offer to design such a poster, or series, but I still don't know if it would work, or if its the right direction to help this serious situation.
It is all very sad.

 

[GoodWitch58]

I know that when my family is going to go the the beach, we actively look for flags or research the situation before we go. I also know that there are lots of stickers, magnets, pamphlets, ect. out there with the flag system to educate the public. I think that the problem is that there are many visitors who don't know the systems, or moreover, don't want to know the system. They spend a lot of money to visit for a few days and they really don't want someone telling them that they can't/shouldn't go in the water. Unfortunately you can't save someone from themselves, but I fear for their children who trust their parents for their well being. I agree with Goodwitch 58 that for the good of the public, we should have a more aggressive campaign, something less harsh than "When 2 Reds Fly - People Die" (with some strong simple graphics). This is probably too harsh I know, but honestly, people need to be shocked into awareness sometimes, a visual slap. But I also agree with Geo that the TDC is trying to convince people to visit, not scare them away, so they would not likely help a fear based campaign.
I would gladly offer to design such a poster, or series, but I still don't know if it would work, or if its the right direction to help this serious situation.
It is all very sad.

Thanks for your comments and your offer. There certainly must be a compromise place: where citizens are informed and thereby can better take the proper precautions; and fear that keeps tourists away from the beach.

As I said, the SeeMore campaign works for the audience it is designed for: the children. Why not have an adult version. It won't influence the behavior of all the people--but a well designed campaign would make a difference.

Let's get a group together and see if we can put together a campaign that the TDC and the BCC won't object to...if we saved one life it would be worth it, wouldn't it? Especially if that life was a small child. Perhaps we can get support from the SWFD and the Sheriff's Office.

I would think the publicity about people dying on our beaches would be more harmful than a campaign designed to save people.

 

[scooterbug44]

I actually like "when red flags fly people die".

People just don't get that it's dangerous/serious - they think we're being overprotective and keeping them from enjoying their vacation.