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.
I was on the beach last Friday late in the afternoon at Gulfview Heights as one group was preparing to leave. They stacked six skimboards, an inflated boat, four chairs, coolers, etc. into a big heap - under a tent, of course. The mom told her son, "I don't think we should leave all the skimboards here. Someone may come along and think it's a party and take one." - Huh? So, one skimboard was removed, five were left, and I guess that eliminated the threat of a "party" bustin' out where skimboards would be pilfered. I'm still scratching my head trying to understand what she meant.
As they were leaving, I politely mentioned to one of the moms that the county periodically makes sweeps at night and their stuff may not be there in the morning. The woman said, "Well, we've been here all week and nothing's happened. Maybe we'll come back and get it later." (Which, to their credit, they did.) What I really wanted to say was "I don't enjoy schlepping stuff to and from the beach anymore than the next guy but I pick up after myself -- simply because it's the right thing to do. And, oh by the way, as I'm headed towards the walkover, I actively seek out trash along the route and pick it up since I'm walking right past the County-posted trash bags."
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!
