RE: [Paddlewise] Public beaches - was Saturation Point

Same in Finland as in Norway, I believe.

Andy

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
[mailto:owner-paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net]On Behalf Of Philip Torrens
Sent: Tuesday, September 28, 1999 8:10 AM
To: saul_at_isomedia.com; PaddleWise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Public beaches - was Saturation Point


Here in BC, most beaches are public below higher high water (the highest the
tide goes without storm surge, basically). The exceptions are some oyster
leases, and some cases where rich and influential yacht clubs have persuaded
municipal goverments to deed them areas of water as well as land - I've had
a similar rude awakening to this as the other paddlewiser described with
finding out some water DID belong to the yacht club. Wish I had the bucks to
mount a legal challenge to this.
A couple of people observed that having beaches public was an indicator of
how civilised a place was or wasn't. By this standard, Norway ranks as one
of the most civilised places on Earth. We paddled in the Lofoten Islands
above the Arctic Circle. Anywhere that is even remotely landable has a
village or a few houses using the "port". They still honour a common law
left over from the days when people used to come north to the islands in
open boats to take advantage of the rich fishery there: you can land and
camp even on "private" land so long as you are not visible from anyone's
house (I'm sure there must be limits to this - you can't "squat" and acquire
title). For kayakers and other tourers, it's ideal.

Philip Torrens
N49°16' W123°06'

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