HACKED BY CYBER-ATTACK - ALPERENBTN

[kyle]

Chasing the Shade
Ramblings of a Beach Bum

Why all of the fuss over closing a little more beach when we all know private investments will eventually take over and eliminate all traffic on our beaches and there's even a rumor that a certain Doctor would like the National Seashore closed to all traffic during turtle seasons.

The term used by those with our interests in mind is "pedestrian friendly.” They, the "City Council and their cronies" continue to mention safety as the main reason to make our beaches more pedestrian friendly. This writer has heard several stories of a child struck by a car or truck. It was always in Port Aransas, in front of the seawall or on the National Seashore. In my six years of "beaching,” I know of no injuries due to traffic on the beach. However, in the last year, our island has lost loved ones in the canals or on the roads. I have never heard anything about banning boats in the canals or vehicles on the road for good reason. Obey the law of common sense and we can all enjoy our pursuit of pleasure without worry. Will there be accidents? Of course there will, in the canals, on the roads and on the beach, but is it right to take such a drastic measure based solely on something that may happen? Surely not, parents are more vigilant and aware at the beach.

The other reason is economic development. Don't get me wrong, economic development is good for the economy. It will help "lower taxes" as some have stated over the last several weeks. Six years of economic development and my taxes have more than doubled, another couple of years of development and I will be budgeted right off of the island that has become my home.

How many types of beach goers can you identify?

1. Beach Fanatic: goes to the beach all day, every day.

2. Beach Fisherman: has a day off of work, has a pick-up with rod holders attached somewhere, and is off to the beach for another day of fishing.

3. Beach lovers: they will be on the beach whenever they have off and the weather is good. there are many sub-groups.

4. Beach walkers: this group will drive or walk to the beach and take a long walk down by the water.

5. Beach lookers: this group drives to the Holiday Inn and walks out to the boardwalk to take in the wonderful view from the seawall.

The sub-groups include:
A. Family picnics: this group includes locals as well as families from around Texas, as well as the "snow birds” or “Winter Texans.” This group causes no problems.

B. Surfers: this group lost J.P. Luby Park but they have the jetties. This group needs a lot of room since their numbers are great. This group causes no problems.

C. Fishermen and their families: some of the family fishes, some beach comb, and the rest just enjoy the day.

D. Beach Bums: this is a group of locals, usually 10 to 50 or more, that have been beaching together for more than 20 years. A few are even third generation. Some of them fish, others pass the days pitching some shoes, while the rest share conversations enjoying a cold drink. The ages range from a few years old to the writer of this who is 65. Weekends will find Gibb and his helpers barbequing the goodies furnished by all of the hungry. This group even provides their own trash cans and butt cans.

E. Hooligans: this group gets drunk, speeds up and down the beach and then leaves their trash when they are done for the day. This group is the one that causes problems.

F. One-timers: this one is self-explanatory. They drive out to the beach so they can tell everyone back home, "I drove on the beach" This group causes no problems.

J.P. Luby Surf Park and Pelican Roost

This park was built by Mr. J.P. Luby to give surfers a place of their own and to alleviate the tension between surfers and fishermen. It became an Island landmark for many years until it was unceremoniously removed in late December much to the chagrin of surfers and pelicans alike. Watching the pelicans stay on their perches until the poles were grabbed by the steel claws was enough to bring a tear to the eye.

Why was Mr. Luby's gift removed?

1. They said it must be removed for Packery Channel construction. That might work if it weren't for the fact that the south jetty was complete, except for the center to be made flat for the physically disabled, before the poles were removed.

2. They say it is a hazard to navigation. If it wasn't before, why is it now?

3. It was in the Packery contract from the beginning was the final answer.

Why was "pedestrian friendly" and J.P. Luby never mentioned before the Packery vote? We don't know. However, if I had control over the most desirable property on the Island, I certainly wouldn't want the “riff-raf” (fishermen, picnickers's, surfer's, and other beach goers) on the beach in front of any future development. It is much easier to sell the property with a private beach and jetty.

Make no mistake, “pedestrian friendly” and “private beach” amount to the same thing. When I asked people in favor of closing the beach to vehicles how a person restricted to a wheel chair could roll themselves a half mile through the sand to the jetty, I was told "it's only a quarter of a mile.” That means a lot to the physically disabled. I would like to see any City Council member try to navigate a wheel chair in soft sand. Try to imagine taking YOUR family to YOUR beach, trying to find that perfect spot close to the jetty, and the beach is only a quarter mile away. You have the wife, the children, chairs, umbrellas, cooler, grill, food, various toys, and fishing equipment. This means Dad will have walked about 3 miles in sand before he gets his rest. Mom can't help, she has to watch the kids. “Have a nice day” because you have three more miles in the sand before you head home. Just remember, your beach is “pedestrian friendly.” I bet you never see any of your elected officials try that, no one will try it more than once.

Why the Corpus Christi City Council doesn't take advantage of the fact that we will have the only free, disabled-accessible jetties in the U.S. is incomprehensible to me. Why not advertise that fact and make this their vacation spot for years to come? We tend, no the City Council tends, to forget that these beaches belong to ALL TEXANS, not a Canadian resort developer.

So why do we continue to fight for a few thousand feet when there are miles of beaches? Just ask the people of Galveston County, the place where my family and I enjoyed the beaches 30 years ago. Another reason, aside from access from the south jetty, is the depth of the beach in that area. Unlike most of our beaches that disappear during high tides at various times or require four wheel drive, that part of the beach is almost always accessible. The only ones that appear to benefit are the developers, investors and the bankers. Yeah, you know they have our best interests at heart.

We, the real owners of that beach, can stop it now or at the next City Council election. We can tell that Veteran who lost a leg or two in the War on Terror, or the elderly couple that can't handle a half-mile hike in the sand there and back, welcome to our beach and jetty, or YOU can tell them, "sorry" this beach is
‘pedestrian friendly.”

The choice is yours!!!
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save our beach

[tyler]

Great article!
Thanks!
Tyler

[oo7texas]

AMEN! Wow..I couldn't have said it better myself.

[kyle]

I believe the author paid 275$ to have it published in the Padre Moon and from what i hear has already gotten a bit of negative feedback.
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save our beach

[Johnny French]

Why was it necessary to trash the turtle PhD. right at the beginning and turn off enviros who oppose the beach closures before they read the rest of the letter? The rest of it was terrific, but sounds like it was written by someone else with much more on the ball. It only takes one sour note to spoil a symphony.

Tell Beach Bum he's talented and generally on the right track, but explain that not everone he's preaching to is in the choir, yet. We'll need all the friends we can get at the polls some day. Until then, please ask him to stick on topic, so as not to piss off those still on or near the fence on this particular issue.

Remember who else wants to protect the turtles and drive on the beach

[Big Ed]

Don't normally post "me toos", but I really enjoyed your post. Looks like you have learned a thing or two in your 65 years.

It can all be summed up in one word - GREED.

The greedy developers who want to take a public right and make it available just for the few. Yes, any pedestrian can use the beach, but in essesnce they want to create a "private beach" for their developments. You see, the other tourists, fishermen, surfers, volleyballers, partiers, etc DRIVE to the beach because they are not staying in the developers high dollar resort. If the beach is closed to vehicular traffic, then 90% or more of the pedestrians on that closed beach will be just the patrons of these resorts.

The greedy politicians who want to satisfy the developers and therefore enrich their campaign fund.

Big Ed
San Antonio
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Big Ed
San Antonio

[kyle]

Big Ed, i apologize for the confusion I did not write the article I was merely posting here and a few other places as a favor for a friend.

Johnny French, It did not appear to me as if he was bashing the doctor, just that he was saying he heard a rumor that there is talk of closing pins to vehicle traffic during turtle season
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save our beach

[BeachBum]

Just to keep the air clear...I am a local, but it was not I that wrote it
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FISH ON!!,

BUM

Coastal Shark Fishing

[RodBreaker]

[BeachBum]

[rabbit]

Good article.
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Fishing and Kayaking its a rough life but somebody has to do it.