[Paddlewise] FW: Saturation Point

Due to server problems, I am resending this message.  I apologize if you
previously received it.
Debs
> ----------
> From: 	Reeves, Debbie (Debbie)
> Sent: 	Monday, September 27, 1999 3:37 PM
> To: 	PaddleWise_at_lists.intelenet.net; 'rww_at_neosoft.com'
> Subject: 	RE: [Paddlewise] Saturation Point
> 
> 
> 
> ----------
> Matt wrote:
> The landowners just don't want us on what they
> > have long considered there property even though it legally isn't. There
> > have been incidents of paddlers being threateded by an irate landowner
> > with a shotgun while standing legally on public property. 
> 
> Richard wrote:
> Dial 911.   I've never heard of this happening on a Texas beach.  On a
> hill 
> country river, yes, but a public ocean facing beach?  Never.
> 
> And I respond that this very thing happened to a group of us 3 weekends
> ago.  We were paddling on Barnegat Bay (NJ) and had crossed over to the
> lighthouse.  Down the shoreline just a bit from the light is a public
> municiple parking lot (dirt), used heavily by fisherman and 'water
> gazers' which is bulkheaded (facing the bay).  The bulkhead is necessary
> due to the amount of wind (waves) and its being located right next to a
> very busy channel (big wakes).  Where the bulkhead ends the water cuts
> back into a sizable quiet area.  On the left is a beach (still part of the
> municipal lot).  To the right and down a ways is a private marina.  Now,
> back out on the bay are some very old pilings, 10 ft off shore, to the
> right end of the bulkhead and they were at one time, I guess,  a barrier
> wall.  To the right of that is the  "motorway" into a private marina.  As
> we paddled in to land on the municipal beach, we were yelled at and
> threatened by the marina workers.  This argument lasted several minutes
> with us trying to explain that we had a right to be on the water and them
> screaming the water "belonged" to the marina.  Well, now all the fishermen
> are pissed off and they're yelling (taking our side), the pedestrians are
> yelling (taking our side).  It was very ugly.  If the marina dude had had
> a gun, he certainly would have been firing it over our heads.  Since there
> is NO WHERE else to land and get out of the boats on this side of the bay,
> we had to exit our boats out on the bay (in the waves and wakes) and
> standing in waist-deep water hoist all the boats up over the bulkhead.  It
> sucked.  Later, the foot police came on their usual rounds and I grab him
> and explain what had happened.  We were all shocked to hear that Mr.
> Marina had been on the legal side of the law.  As the police explained it
> to us, he owns and insures the marina.  The marina apparently is defined
> as the bottom land AND "all the water covering it" that the "motors" must
> use to gain access to it.  So there you have it, at least here at the
> Barnegat Bay in NJ.  Mr. Marina owns the water (all of it). 
> 
> Let's see.  To get to Texas I drive south and then turn right . . .
> 
> Debbie Reeves
> Sandy Hook, NJ
> 
> 
> 
> 
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