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
658
SoWal Expert
Ordinances and bylaws aside, wouldn't any self-respecting person simply take notice of the natural beauty of the beach and, out of respect for Mother Nature, not trash it up with molded plastic, accordian tent frames, and other general junk? Campers honor the "leave it as you found it" credo. Beach-goers, locals or tourists, can do the same.
This whole crap-on-the-beach situation is just another manifestation of the eroding respect our society has experienced over the past couple of decades.
"R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me!" Sing it, Aretha!
Unfortunately many people just don't seem to comprehend the idea of picking up after themselves - whether camping, driving, or at the beach.
Hopefully the new enforcement of the "no items on the beach overnight" will improve the trash level.
Skunky
It could be worse...I just got back from the beach and watched a kid scale the side of an eroded dune...he was grabbing stalks of sea oats to pull himself further up the embankment! I took care of the situation;he will not be doing it again
SoWal Expert
It could be worse...I just got back from the beach and watched a kid scale the side of an eroded dune...he was grabbing stalks of sea oats to pull himself further up the embankment! I took care of the situation;he will not be doing it again
Did the kid have parents? My rear would have been red as a spring breaker if I did something like that!
Beach Fanatic
Way to educate, Dr. Skunky 
Skunky
Way to educate, Dr. Skunky
A little bit of educating, a whole lot of instilling the fear of God in the kid so he will never go near a dune again. I was polite; I just yold him that a kid in Destin died in a landslide doing what he was doing (which may be true, or it may not be, it was a little white lie). His dad was there but he was supervising the construction of a tidal pool of death for a bunch of those sea slugs his other kids were harvesting.:angry:
SoWal Expert
Did the kid have parents? My rear would have been red as a spring breaker if I did something like that!His parents are probably two of the many who come to eat at Hibiscus, leaving the door open after they enter. They must forget that we live in Florida and have air-conditioners running in the summer.
needs to get out more
His parents are probably two of the many who come to eat at Hibiscus, leaving the door open after they enter. They must forget that we live in Florida and have air-conditioners running in the summer.
Hopefully, they don't know where Hibiscus is.
Beach Comber
My family wants to comply with the new ordinance. My question is, my brother-in-law is bringing his catamaran, does he need to remove the cat from the beach every night? Last year he just left it next to the private stairs.
Beach Fanatic
My family wants to comply with the new ordinance. My question is, my brother-in-law is bringing his catamaran, does he need to remove the cat from the beach every night? Last year he just left it next to the private stairs.
If somebody wants a formerly red kayak, now slowly turning pink from the sun, it's been chained to the Eastern Lake walkover since about this time last year. It was still there a coupla weeks ago.
I'd call that leaving an item on the beach overnight.
needs to get out more
My family wants to comply with the new ordinance. My question is, my brother-in-law is bringing his catamaran, does he need to remove the cat from the beach every night? Last year he just left it next to the private stairs.
this is the place where someone says "wouldn't it suck if said catamaran interfered with the laying of a turtle's eggs?"
ymmv
Beach Fanatic
It's that whole mentality about "I'm paying thousands of dollars for my vacation. I should get to do whatever the hell I want." Even if it's leaving their trash and debris all over the place.
I'd say only about 2% of the people have that huge sense of self-entitlement that manifests in those kids of ways. But that 2% causes all sorts of problems for the turthles and the other 98% of everyone.
I'd say only about 2% of the people have that huge sense of self-entitlement that manifests in those kids of ways. But that 2% causes all sorts of problems for the turthles and the other 98% of everyone.
needs to get out more
beachmouse, sadly, i think 2% is a low estimate.
Beach Fanatic
beachmouse, sadly, i think 2% is a low estimate.
And sad to say, the sense of self-entitlement seems to extend to quite a few property owners as well. We have one in our neighborhood who has successfully alienated all the rest of us...
Beach Comber
I am wanting to comply with the new ordinance. Give me a break here. I don't feel I'm entitled to leave my items on the beach simply because I'm putting out thousands of dollars for my week at the beach. My family usually leaves the beach cleaner after we leave. We are always picking up trash that other people leave behind. I asked the question because I want to comply with the new ordinance. Thanks for your rude answer and jumping to conclusions about my character.
Meow
I am wanting to comply with the new ordinance. Give me a break here. I don't feel I'm entitled to leave my items on the beach simply because I'm putting out thousands of dollars for my week at the beach. My family usually leaves the beach cleaner after we leave. We are always picking up trash that other people leave behind. I asked the question because I want to comply with the new ordinance. Thanks for your rude answer and jumping to conclusions about my character.
fonesy! You have a valid question and my best answer is remove it from the beach. There seems to be a new ordinance which I know good visitors, such as yourself, will honor. Unfortunately, a few bad apples spoil the bunch. Hope you have a great visit!Beach Fanatic
It's that whole mentality about "I'm paying thousands of dollars for my vacation. I should get to do whatever the hell I want." Even if it's leaving their trash and debris all over the place.
I'd say only about 2% of the people have that huge sense of self-entitlement that manifests in those kids of ways. But that 2% causes all sorts of problems for the turthles and the other 98% of everyone.
Fonesy-
I doubt that this reply was directed at you. It's more in line with the whole direction of this thread.
I know my own reply was more a reaction to the comments you raised than a direct reply.
It's a forum here, and we get a little prickly at times about the things that concern us.
Thanks so much for your concern over the health and cleanliness of the beach.
needs to get out more
I am wanting to comply with the new ordinance. Give me a break here. I don't feel I'm entitled to leave my items on the beach simply because I'm putting out thousands of dollars for my week at the beach.
it's very commendable that you want to do the right thing, and that you are not one of the entitled, thank you.
My family usually leaves the beach cleaner after we leave. We are always picking up trash that other people leave behind.
again, thank you, most of us do the same.
I asked the question because I want to comply with the new ordinance.
smart, but sadly enforcement is in reality a long way off. it will be interesting to see how the TDC will handle this. they really won't want to be irritating people who spend thousands of dollars a week at the beach.
Thanks for your rude answer and jumping to conclusions about my character.
rude? no off the cuff, sure. i don't see where i jumped to conclusions about your character. if anything i thought your character was quite admirable since you were being proactive about what to do. any conclusions i made were more about why you would need to ask that question if you read any part of this thread. and my answer was a not so subtle reminder that it's not just about the eyesore and the danger that all that stuff creates.
SoWal Expert
The ordinance is not new. It only sounds like it is new, since the County now states that they will enforce the existing oridinance.
Fonsey, I don't think the fingers were being pointed directly at you for your particular question. Thanks for leaving the beach cleaner than you find it each day! The best answer to your question is that leaving your boat on the beach, even at the walkover, would be a violation of the County Ordinance. Where do you launch the Cat?
Beach Lover
Just wanted to share that our homeowners assoc. just sent all owners a letter concerning items being left on the beach by renters ect. It stated that people who rent out their condos should make renters aware of not leaving items on the beach.
If all homeowners assoc. would send out a letter to owners to make renters and others aware of this situation it may help in keeping our beaches safe and clean!
If you rent your condo or home, put a letter on the frig or in your information book so people are aware!
Let's keep the beaches clean and fun for humans and the sea life!
If all homeowners assoc. would send out a letter to owners to make renters and others aware of this situation it may help in keeping our beaches safe and clean!
If you rent your condo or home, put a letter on the frig or in your information book so people are aware!
Let's keep the beaches clean and fun for humans and the sea life!
SoWal Expert
That is great news, ozbeachmom.
Beach Fanatic
Just wanted to share that our homeowners assoc. just sent all owners a letter concerning items being left on the beach by renters ect. It stated that people who rent out their condos should make renters aware of not leaving items on the beach.
If all homeowners assoc. would send out a letter to owners to make renters and others aware of this situation it may help in keeping our beaches safe and clean!
If you rent your condo or home, put a letter on the frig or in your information book so people are aware!
Let's keep the beaches clean and fun for humans and the sea life!
I would suggest putting it on the frig and the book - way too often I find my book hidden away in a drawer or under a stack of magazines. So I wonder how much of my info is even read. Everyone looks at the frig - hopefully they will read it.
Beach Fanatic
Years ago there was a term "beachcombing"
We would go to the beach after sunset and anything left behind was another term called "Finders Keepers".
We would go to the beach after sunset and anything left behind was another term called "Finders Keepers".
Beach Fanatic
fonesy:
Don't pay too much attention to some of the folks here. If one says "white", two here will say "black". Its the nature of this board when it comes to topics that affect us all.
Bring your catamaran down and have a blast! When you're done for the day, pull it up to the "dune line" assuming it is private beach (and you are "invited" or are a renter...not sure about public beach). This would be common sense even without the new "rules".
I've sailed lasers and a bigger sailboat boat on the bay, but I sure would like to experience a catamaran in the open gulf.
When are you planning to come down?
--added: that sounded wrong; i'm not looking for a "free ride" on your cat. just curious when you were coming down.
Don't pay too much attention to some of the folks here. If one says "white", two here will say "black". Its the nature of this board when it comes to topics that affect us all.
Bring your catamaran down and have a blast! When you're done for the day, pull it up to the "dune line" assuming it is private beach (and you are "invited" or are a renter...not sure about public beach). This would be common sense even without the new "rules".
I've sailed lasers and a bigger sailboat boat on the bay, but I sure would like to experience a catamaran in the open gulf.
When are you planning to come down?
--added: that sounded wrong; i'm not looking for a "free ride" on your cat. just curious when you were coming down.
Edited
SoWal Expert
Everything that is not a natural part of the beach needs to be completely removed from the beach at night. Turtles lay their eggs up on the dunes, past where you would easily drag a catamaran to get it off the beach. Due to their poor eyesight, even a small obstacle can misdirect or prevent them from reaching their destination.
Have a wonderful time sailing and enjoy your vacation! You sound like the type of visitor we love to have!
Have a wonderful time sailing and enjoy your vacation! You sound like the type of visitor we love to have!
Beach Fanatic
Please don't leave stuff on the beach. It's U-G-L-Y plus, 
please read the turtle thread. Thanks and have grayt funn.Checking your forum account
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