Re: [Paddlewise] bans on sea kayakers

> My reading of this tells me that bans on sea kayakers and off-limits
> signs are on the increase.  I think these arise for at least three
> reasons:

Fortunately that sort of thing isn't happening here in Texas; then again 
there are no "privately owned" beaches or significant waterways.   We are 
very aggressive about defending our private property rights, but are often 
equally aggressive about excercising our rights on public right of ways.

About the only problems we have about land/water restrictions are for white 
water kayakers; most white water "rivers" in Texas are little more than dry 
creekbeds that become interesting only with significant run off.    But let a 
river be permanent, and even the most rural, isolated public right of way is 
grudgingly respected.  [See various stories about the Devils River in South 
Texas]  However, if you get out of your boat and walk on someone's land 
down there, don't be surprised if the Sheriff shrugs his shoulders as he zips 
your corpse into body bag.  Don't expect the press to be particularly 
agitated either.

> North Cove basin, which houses a luxury ship marina, has a sign on its
> entrance say "No Sea Kayaks, No Jet Skiis."  As in the San Juan 
Islands,

I've seen "no wake" zones with a sheriff sitting in his boat gleafully writing 
tickets as quickly as his fingers can go....    Pretty much, a boat is a boat 
as far as the law is concerned down here.   PS no marina in Texas can 
restrict access to the water it sits on, but considering how easy it is to put 
a kayak in virtually anywhere, on any body of water, and there is little point 
in bugging marinas in the first place.




Richard Walker
Houston, TX
http://www.neosoft.com/~rww/kayak_log.html

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