I realize this thread is probably going to get hijacked by a bunch of morons talking about the civil war and recreational gun usage, but I'll post it anyway. The topic at hand is based on access to oceans, beach privatizations, and mean high tide lines. My question is how can a police officer, park ranger, or teenager in a STAFF shirt with a whistle legally tell you that you can't surf in the ocean and to leave the water? Backstory: Surfing yesterday (yeah it was barely knee high but I still had fun) in the surf zone, nice day, not bothering anyone when a parks employee walks up to the water and starts laying on her whistle motioning for me to get out of the water. I told her I was in the surf zone had cleared paddling out with another employee and asked her why I had to leave. She said, "I don't know. That's just what someone told me." I tried not to be a **** to someone just trying to do her job and obviously not a surfer and left without arguing. I realize you have to deal with some annoyances June through September but it seems like our rights as citizens are being taken away. Isn't the ocean public property below the mean high tide line? I'm not trying to go all Rodney King here but sometimes it feels like we don't live in a completely "free" country. The northeast is taxed and regulated to death in general I just hate to see that extend to public natural resources.
Its like that here in VB as well. Someone doesn't know the law, has a job, talks down to you, you get angry, they call a cop. You're in the right, the cop facilitates your excursion elsewhere. When you're in the right, they get you on court fees and wasting your time. When I start law school, I will let y'all know. I got whistled at yesterday myself (despite red flags). Honestly, I am initially flattered someone would get a whistle to ensure I heard their cat-calls. I usually ignore them. Lifeguards are like game wardens, the power to do what they want. The judgement of a skinny 16 year old is the law. I was smarter when I was 16. I should have written a book. Well, maybe i did and don't remember. If I was 16 I'm sure I would. Some of these lifeguards around here...Perhaps we should revolt. My state has done it on more than one ocaission. I'm just trying to get in where I fit in and spread the Red Sea apart. Let's revolt! You northerners used to be all about it back in the 1770s and all. C'mon! Its fun! Just ask South Carolina. I bet if we make it look half as fun as the Babes n Waves videa, it'll take the country be storm. Then we can start a new country without these laws and regs.
If you are on the east coast. Anything EAST of the average high water line is public property and no one can kick you out because you are in the water in front of their home. That's ludicrous. If you surf in new jersey download this: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/cmp/access/public_access_handbook.pdf You can't walk across someone's private beach to get to the water. But you can take a public walkway to the beach and walk along the shoreline- east of the high water mark- and surf in front of someones house all you like, despite what they say. It might be worth printing a copy out if you encounter this often. There are certain areas of LBI where this happens a lot. THAT BEING SAID. I wouldn't mess with lifeguards for two reasons. They're trying to cover their own butts in case you get hurt. "Why didn't you call him out of the water!!!??" Also, some lifeguards I know are local surfers who for lack of a better word "enforce" certain breaks in the off season. Don't get on their bad side just because you want to be a punk. The lifegaurds will be gone soon. It's the mansion owners I have a beef with. And dont trash the beach, the people I hate the most are disrespectful surfers.
gotta love south Carolina when the tourists are on a good peak, i banzai straight for them if they dont get the point sometimes after ive asked nicely and get a rude response, then turn when about 2-3 foot from there body with my 9,4. i cant believe up north there are surf only zones. if there was a law enacted here that said we had to surf (here) or (there) it would be war and it would be beyond civil
Hey why do you have to hassle people who want to engage in a new Civil War or who love shootin' their guns? Are we supposed to get real serious because you have a problem? Are we supposed to spend days discussing this? Can't you not find a solution besides axing random strangers on a surf predictin' website...? Do you really expect these guys to band toghether - united to your cause - and take action ? Here's a few suggestions: Sack up and tell these rangers and rent-a-cops to piss-off. You sound like someone who gets worried about 15 year-old-beach badge checkers(that's a Jersey thing). Stay in the water. If the po-lice comes and you get a ticket then FIGHT it. Maybe you'll change something which certainly ain't going to happen from complaining on this site. At worst you get a friggin fine.......big deal. Pay it or don't........Appeal. Contact organizations who might care aboot your plight. Yeah dude, we don't live in a FREE society, everything's against the law. We have freedom of speech(usually) and freedom of religion. That's aboot it. Hey southerners, someone arm this guy as we have a new found freedom patriot on our hands. Does anyone know of any good Michigan militias?
yeah Michigan Militia Timothy McVeigh was apart of them right, well i hope we see some sea mines in the line ups to blow up unsuspecting surfers breaking the laws.
Wait wait!! Summers over!!! Open access EVERYWHERE!!! Good bye to my good friends those old summer pros!!! See ya next years when summer starts and the waves stop! Lol welcome the winter rubber and the empty grinders! Ok ok onto another more serious note... Who would like to fight to get our gun rights back and start a civil war- I hear there's some guys in PA that can help - maybe some of the old summer pros neighbors or something... Anyone in??
