stairs at Isaac's?

Sorry, I don't see what you're getting at or why you continue to personally attack me when others have expressed views similar to mine as well.

Hey roadrunner,
{Locals can be just as destructive as tourists]:-o Who said that:S

roadrunner,
You just don't get it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:-(

Neil, you crack me up!

Neil, you crack me up!

Better me than the uneven walking paths.

Note: The East End around Issacs is a major turtle nesting area, thus erosion control is more than just an aesthetic or reef issue.

I've heard that all beaches in the VI are public property.

If that's true, there is what we economists call the problem of "The Tragedy of the Commons." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragedy_of_the_commons.

While there are different opinions, one thing seems clear: There is a danger of losing the asset from over-use, as with the fish population at Georges Bank. Some sort of regulation appears indicated in these situations.

In short, one of the dangers of increased access with no oversight is long-term damage to these previously less accessible beaches.

I've heard that all beaches in the VI are public property.

I'm not sure if this is entirely true. There are some properties in Fred'std for sale that show the beach as titled property on the plat of survey.

I think the property ends at the high tide line. I have always heard all beaches are public and access from the water cannot be denied.

Some years ago, the state of Hawaii enacted a law banning development between the road and the shoreline.

I tried to get to the beach once, but was intimidated by the eroded and dangerous path.

The path from Grapetree is generally well maintained by the Nature Conservancy, is not eroded, nor dangerous in the least. It's just a 2 mile hike.

IT

Hi

Here are a few facts you might like to know.

The old pathway down the gut was creating a lot of runoff and non-point pollution. That is why the new one was designed and built; to minimize the siltation and damage to the reefs there where the nature conservancy is the steward, and beyond, down current. VIRC&D won and administered an ARRA grant for erosion monitoring and control.

Hikers to East End Bay have left their share of debris but the majority of the litter in East End, Isaac's and Jack's bays comes from the sea. I have been packing trash out of those bays for many years now, and access has lessened the amount of litter over time and made my job easier. The Grapetree trail is well maintained and hasn't overburdened the bays with traffic. I wouldn't expect the EEB trail to be any different.

TanTan Tours has increased the access and traffic to Annaly bay, but their impact has been minimal. Trash at Annaly is at an all-time low in my experience--much lower than it has ever been at EEB/Jack's/Isaac's. Hopefully one day the road will be changed to minimize siltation there too, but the tour folks are leaving the place beautiful.

Unofficially, Jack's and Isaac's have been recognized as our "nude beaches" but they aren't often used, and officially, you could still be arrested if caught, though it's unlikely.

Thanks for the info. I try to bring some of the "sea" trash back with me on every trip out to Isaac's. (Last week it was -- no lie -- messages in a wine bottle from some idiot tourists up at Udall who didn't realize that the current would take their trash right back to shore.) I'm less a fan of cleaning up after the workforce putting in the trail and the stairs, who've left quite a bit of ACE Hardware and food wrapping debris in the area.

Regarding the nudists, there are a few regulars, but they're known to the other regular users of the beach, and are very nice and generally pretty respectful. (Although, on the off-chance they read this board, I'd like to ask politely that the two guys in particular that I'm thinking of take their cigarette butts home with them from the "shelter" instead of leaving them behind in the sand for me to clean up.) I've never seen a cop anywhere near Isaac's or Point Udall.

I'd still like to know what SEA thinks of the inevitable increased traffic to a recognized nesting site.

IT

I've heard that all beaches in the VI are public property.

The beach is public property -- up to the mean high tide line. Access to the beach is NOT unless, of course, you're coming from the water.

IT