turtle watch volunteer arrested

[Here4Good]

It is crazy to me that the turtles even need to be part of the conversation. I understand that items on the beach interfere with their nesting and that many need to be educated on this. But it shouldn't take this education to get folks to pick up after themselves...

Except for a campground, I know of no other place where I can leave tents and chairs overnight. What is it about the beach that confuses folks and makes them believe it would be okay to leave their stuff out???

I know, that's what's confusing to me. If there's a three day music festival, do people create huge encampments, then leave them to go back home at night and assume that it will be untouched? Would you set up a ladder in a prime spot for a Mardi Gras parade and expect it to be there the next day? Why is the beach different?

I think the aggrevation comes not from stuff left overnight, but stuff left all week, and stuff abandoned completely. It's trash, plain and simple. Yeah, it's a pain to haul it in and out, but I see people doing it every day.

 

[Interested Girl]

It is crazy to me that the turtles even need to be part of the conversation. I understand that items on the beach interfere with their nesting and that many need to be educated on this. But it shouldn't take this education to get folks to pick up after themselves...

Except for a campground, I know of no other place where I can leave tents and chairs overnight. What is it about the beach that confuses folks and makes them believe it would be okay to leave their stuff out???

You can leave those things out on your own property anytime you choose. Geeze Louise
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[mtlinscomb]

Shot in the dark, might she also be Chairperson of my HOA in Houston??? JK

 

[Here4Good]

You can leave those things out on your own property anytime you choose. Geeze Louise
Posted via Mobile Device

So these things are on private property, and were left by the property owner? Hard to tell, isn't it? It would be different if we were actually able to tell what was private property and what it not. We can't though, even with legions of attorneys on both sides, it seems.

Even so.....I think if I set up a tent for my kids with chairs and crap on the front lawn, the neighbors might think it was a little tacky after three or four days.

I think this situation just calls for a little neighborliness. And no, I don't think slicing the stuff up is neighborly.

 

[ASH]

I've posted in other threads on the hazards of leaving items on the beach, but I have to say that I'm disappointed in this lady's approach. Apparently the law needs to be fine tuned so that the proper authorities can manage beach items appropriately.



Ever since I was a kid, I've been one of those people who likes to go out on the beach at night and enjoy the moon, stars, and sound of the surf. As much as I love the beach during the day, there is something else about it at night. However, I thought I had read on other threads and notices and such that we (humans) are not even supposed to go on the beach at night, with or without flashlights, because it may interfere with sea turtles. I'm glad to hear a turtle watch walker acknowledge people going on the beach at night. I think if you are responsible and keep an eye out for turtles, it can be acceptable to go on the beach at night. I hope to be able to take my daughter (and other future child[ren]) out there with a (covered) flashlight like we did when we were kids. What is the official rule on people on the beach at night from May through October?

There is nothing illegal about being on the beach at night. I have walked in the morning and passed by people sleeping on their beach towel. During nesting season, it is recommended to not have bright lights as they will blind a turtle for awhile and should a nest hatch, the turtles naturally crawl toward light which is supposed to be the horizon and therfore the ocean. This is why some have come up with the red light covers as it is a part of the light spectrum that turtles apparently don't see and yet it gives people lighting to be able to see where they are going.

 

[ASH]

Curious, Do they offer any training before they allow someone to walk? What are the Rules they go by? What are they suppose to do under the "Groups Banner?" Just thinking...

Every new walker walks a day or so with an area coordinator to cover everything from education to what to look for to what to do or not to do. My orientation I recall being told not to pick up anything, not even garbage. "Just focus on convering your assigned area as quickly and as transparent as possible"
I choose (chose) to pick up garbage when I walk because I was there anyway and maybe I could make the beach a little cleaner when everyone else woke up and hit the beach.

 

[Beanstalk]

Every new walker walks a day or so with an area coordinator to cover everything from education to what to look for to what to do or not to do. My orientation I recall being told not to pick up anything, not even garbage. "Just focus on convering your assigned area as quickly and as transparent as possible"
I choose (chose) to pick up garbage when I walk because I was there anyway and maybe I could make the beach a little cleaner when everyone else woke up and hit the beach.

Thank you Ash! That makes perfect sense. Sometimes people get badge happy and act out on their own and sometimes it reflects back on the very thing they were to protect! No pun intended. She acted on her own by doing what she done. I always say "Call the Authorities first" if you take an action you can and in this case will be held accountable. Different story had a turtle been entangled or hung up on anything she tore up. But I do not think this was the case! When I move there I will be glad to join in and become part of this. Quick question.... Do they issue semi machine guns and explosives? Sorry had to... Reminded me of the old Police Academy Movie

 

[beachmouse]

You can leave those things out on your own property anytime you choose. Geeze Louise
Posted via Mobile Device

That's not unlimited. An unit of government can legally say that you can't have junk (inoperable and no license plate) cars visible from the road, and may further restrict the type of working vehicles that you're allowed to have in the driveway or be otherwsie visible from the street.

If you ever want to see just how much the government can dictate land use, check out the building code for Coral Gables and see what you've got to go through if you want to repaint your home in a color that has not yet been approved by the City Beautiful for general use.

 

[Smiling JOe]

I decided to take a look around 9am this morning, on the beach near where this particular incident supposedly took place. It was a disaster -- plenty of abandoned tents, tent frames, overturned tents, overturned tent frames, piles of empty chairs, coolers etc. It looked aweful. By the time I got to the beach, there were plenty of people on the beach, but no one at these sites I mentioned. Looked like a disaster zone. I may do some relocation in the morning if I am nearby. Surely an overturned tent frame without a canvas isn't something that anyone could claim to be using, and certainly it provides a hazard to people walking on the beach.

 

[Smiling JOe]

"Originally Posted by Interested Girl
You can leave those things out on your own property anytime you choose. Geeze Louise"

You make that sound like a universal statement. It is inaccurate. Owning property doesn't come with unlimited rights. If you think that you can leave junk cars on blocks in your driveway, many local governments in the State of FL and other states, will fine you and haul off your clunkers, and CHARGE you for storage. Subdivsions also often have written covenants not allowing property owners to leave crap in the yards.