P-Town Closures 6/11

[Skitterpop]

Sorry for the ignorance but can you walk anywhere you please and the closure is for vehicle traffic?

and not like I can walk in sand more than a 1/4 mile without collapsing

[Sweetwater]

I think that such closures are much too arbitrary. There is a way to manage both for the birds and for vehicular traffic. Recently the park service has opened miles of beach for vehicular traffic around Cape Hatteras, NC where piping plovers also nest. The head ranger there is formerly the head guy for the Provincelands. Those of us who use the beach regularly MUST make our voices heard. One gets the distinct impression that there is an agenda among those controlling the Cape Cod National Seashore that they don't want to see ANY vehicular traffic and will use any excuse to exclude us.

Its time to voice our opinions on this. The park service (in addition to managing bird habitat) also has the directive to provide for human access. I would love to hear ideas and approaches that would both provide for wildlife conservation and human access during the nesting season (which can continue well into August).

[BigFish]

Hope it does not ruin the Bombas trip!

[tattoobob]

Between the seal and birds that place is really starting to be not worth the yearly pass fee, It seens like they do it right in time for the 4th of July so they don't have to deal with the crowds. survival of the fittest and these bird are not fit to survive

[piemma]

Originally Posted by tattoobob

Between the seal and birds that place is really starting to be not worth the yearly pass fee, It seens like they do it right in time for the 4th of July so they don't have to deal with the crowds. survival of the fittest and these bird are not fit to survive

This is why a lot of us who were back beach regulars quit. I use to drive 300 miles round trip every Friday and again on Saturday in the early and mid-90s. We had closures then but you usually could get to the Mission Bell and they never closed the beach this early.
It's really stupid when you consider that the Coyotes, eagles, Hawks and assorted other wildlife kill far more birds than the OSV. This is nothing but one more way that they will, ultimately, take total beach access away from us. Close the beach earlier, keep it closed longer, restrict the areas you can drive etc.

[Back Beach]

Originally Posted by piemma

This is why a lot of us who were back beach regulars quit. I use to drive 300 miles round trip every Friday and again on Saturday in the early and mid-90s. We had closures then but you usually could get to the Mission Bell and they never closed the beach this early.
It's really stupid when you consider that the Coyotes, eagles, Hawks and assorted other wildlife kill far more birds than the OSV. This is nothing but one more way that they will, ultimately, take total beach access away from us. Close the beach earlier, keep it closed longer, restrict the areas you can drive etc.

Ditto.

Back beach= I should change my screen name as it doesn't really apply anymore. The one thing though is that you think back to some of the times that were had not too long ago, say fall 2003, and you try to keep an opportunistic eye on the place. The access has always been an issue since the early 80's, its the fishing that has probably soured more than anything else. I'm not ready to concede that its the seals though. The fish just haven't been using the place steadily in recent years, even before the seals became an issue. This all said, if you were to have the night of your life, the back would be one of the most promising places to do it. The orv permit is a non issue as the best spots are all within a 1 mile walk of parking lots. The orv's actually ruin the fishing at times anyways. One guy stops at a spot, the herd follows, so forth and so on on until its a gigantic cluster @$@#.

[LeCounts1099]

What a great point, Back Beach! Even in the heyday there-- when I did have many "dream"- quality nights... I was by choice a "walk- on" fisherman only. Beyond the obvious appeal of solitude, finding my own structure/ spots during daylight, & of course then having the fish to myself-- I truly feel the lack of buggys/ lights/ human commotion, was the reason these nights on these lonely (in Fall) Backside beaches were so spectacular. I'm talking multiple 50+ fish nights, with few under 10 lbs... & most 12- 25 lbs. (All returned, as I'm strictly C & R-- no "slips" / proof here!)

But this was pre- Seal infestation too! (say 1997- 2002), when seeing even one in the dawn surf was a rarity. Recent years, just WAY too many fishless nights on the Back Beach followed by Seal- herd parties/ blitzes on bait come the dawn. Mung and small blue hordes I had strategies to deal with to get to the Bass... But, Seals cavorting sometimes in the dozens within casting range on every Outer beach-- when they used to be a rarity outside Chatam/ Nauset-- by coincidence or not isa an event that's happened just as the Surf Bass fishing there has tanked. And as I think J.H. actually meant?-- no, I do not see the Seal problem there changing nor being fixed anytime soon, & so sadly I'm quite pessimistic, & doubt that the Back will ever return to its' former striped Glory!

[Krispy]

Originally Posted by Back Beach

Back beach= I should change my screen name as it doesn't really apply anymore.

Yer more of a Ditch guy, eh?