Duchess,
Yippie is right, your post got somewhat lost, in all of the "chatter" including mine. It was well written and factual, it appears. Your opinion is also respected by me.
Your situation is exactly what I've been more concerned here, more than just the obvious issue / idea of public vs. private beaches.
Your situation is also EXACTLY the reason why the county should not have approved Redfish Village's easement in a private residential neighborhood. This is what I professed could and would happen since last year.
That is, you bought in thinking that you had full rights to the beach via the access along side the Retreat. Now you are being removed from the beach because you are finding out that you don't.
You and I and the others on this board won't directly effect a change anytime soon. Who's responsible here? Opinions have been suggested.
Your input carries more credibility since you have invested in a home at the beach where you paid a "premium" to be near what you thought was a public beach as evidenced by the walkover in your area where the county just buries their head in the sand and hope this firestorm would never take place OR that beach renourishment will come to THEIR rescue, not the gulf front owners (as one would naturally assume).
It's obvious that you think the beaches should be public. I fully understand.
What will you do if nothing changes, ie the beach remains private?