Eastern Lake outfall and beach "ownership" question

[Kapua1966]

It seems to me that I was not the only sober concerned Seagrove visitor that day, since more than one person asked children not to play on the falling beach access. I was worried about the safety of the children who were hanging from the beach access of the home. For those of you who sat and watched your children further destroy private property, I suppose it would be okay for me to sit in YOUR beach chairs and drink YOUR beer? Your drinking must have affected your hearing because I never said to get out of the water. I merely pointed out the Private Property sign near the falling beach access. I contacted the rental company so they could inform the homeowners of the falling beach access. I also contacted the Sheriff's dept. so they could inspect the falling beach access. I plan to retire at Seagrove Beach one day in the near future and I would hope that others would act as responsible adults and respect my private property as well.

What happens when the outfall at Eastern Lake causes the water to redirect, on its way to the ocean, across someone's 'No Trespassing' property line?

Here's what happened today (some of this I observed; some was told to me second/third hand): The lake took a hard right turn from around the Eastern Lake beach access as it connected to gulf. Lots of folks were floating all along the "river" in inner-tubes; others sitting in the mostly shallow water, many playing with their children. A man and his son with an inner-tube came by where we were sitting and complained that some women had told them they couldn't be in the water in front of a house because it was on private property and that they had called the Sheriff. Interestingly, the ladies who did this did not own either of the homes effected; they had come from the other side of the lake.

Sure enough the sheriff came and talked for awhile to some of the people (not the ladies who made the call - they observed from a distance). They didn't make anyone leave the water. In the meantime another lady who either owned or was renting one of the houses had a long talk with the Sheriff's official. It looked like she was saying that if you followed the path of the previously intact fence that had defined their private beach area, it would go out into the middle of the "river" and that part of the water should be off limits.

Sounds weird to me. The walkway/beach access for that house, which was private and no one else was using, was partially washed away. I could see there might be some liability there if someone tried to use it, but the argument according to some was that they could not be in the water!!

May be more to this? Anyone know?

 

[pahjabythe sea]

My family has owned our beach place at Eastern Lake for almost 30 years. My children have grown up playing in the lake and ocean. What has happened to the beach access/lake outlet is very distressing. I have not heard about the "25 loads of sand" that was hauled-in and apparently has helped cause the destruction of our awesome beach and it's access, but certainly would like to know more. I applaud the individuals who attempted to help stop any further damage to the beach and to the access to this beach by trying to educate any children/adults who were on private property potentially causing further damage, not to mention putting themselves in harms way.

Thanks again to the folks who care about our beach!

 

[Matt J]

Worth Williams no longer owns the house or the property.

 

[Mike Jones]

It seems to me that I was not the only sober concerned Seagrove visitor that day, since more than one person asked children not to play on the falling beach access. I was worried about the safety of the children who were hanging from the beach access of the home. For those of you who sat and watched your children further destroy private property, I suppose it would be okay for me to sit in YOUR beach chairs and drink YOUR beer? Your drinking must have affected your hearing because I never said to get out of the water. I merely pointed out the Private Property sign near the falling beach access. I contacted the rental company so they could inform the homeowners of the falling beach access. I also contacted the Sheriff's dept. so they could inspect the falling beach access. I plan to retire at Seagrove Beach one day in the near future and I would hope that others would act as responsible adults and respect my private property as well.

Sounds reasonable. Although I am a private-beach denier.

My family has owned our beach place at Eastern Lake for almost 30 years. My children have grown up playing in the lake and ocean. What has happened to the beach access/lake outlet is very distressing. I have not heard about the "25 loads of sand" that was hauled-in and apparently has helped cause the destruction of our awesome beach and it's access, but certainly would like to know more. I applaud the individuals who attempted to help stop any further damage to the beach and to the access to this beach by trying to educate any children/adults who were on private property potentially causing further damage, not to mention putting themselves in harms way.

Thanks again to the folks who care about our beach!

ANyone who built within a 1/4 mile of an access is to blame.

 

[Lake View Too]

Here are a couple of photos of the sand piles deposited by Worth Williams on May 1, 2005.

 

[steel1man]

Here are a couple of photos of the sand piles deposited by Worth Williams on May 1, 2005. <img src="http://www.sowal.com/bb/attachment.php?attachmentid=36978"/><img src="http://www.sowal.com/bb/attachment.php?attachmentid=36977"/>

tar and feathered

 

[justhavinfun]

Karma is a b...h

 

[Matt J]

Could be the lighting, but they look fine (color wise) in the first picture.

 

[Lake View Too]

The photos were taken on the same day, from different angles. The color of the sand isn't really the point.

The bigger issue is letting any sand be artificially deposited on the beach. This is simply one example of what can happen. When beach re nourishment happens, there should be a whole lot more concern about unintended negative consequences to the coastal dune lake outfalls. No one seems to care.