Off-road areas reopened at Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Posted to: News North Carolina
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By Catherine Kozak
The Virginian-Pilot
© August 11, 2009

The last of the most popular off-road vehicle areas in Cape Hatteras National Seashore have been reopened, leaving only small sections of beach closed to protect nesting shorebirds, the National Park Service Outer Banks Group has announced.

Closures on South Beach, near Buxton on Hatteras Island, and South Point, on Ocracoke Island, were removed over the weekend, according to a Park Service statement.

Also, nearly all of Bodie Island Spit is also now accessible to ORVs, with 2.3 miles north of Ramp 4 and 1.3 miles south of Ramp 4 to Oregon Inlet open.

Sea turtle nesting area closures are evident on all seashore beaches. Turtle closures, however, are smaller and far less intrusive than those for shorebirds. Colonial waterbird nests are still present in some areas that are protected by posted signs and symbolic fencing.

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Only small sections closed, not quite

Submitted by jim and ginny on Sun, 10/18/2009 at 10:54 am.

August 13, 2009 NPS access report and maps showed

9.65 miles or 24.4 percent of the beach normally available to ORVs was still closed--http://www.capehatterasanglersclub.org/images/beachaccess2009/beach%20access%20miles.xls

Oregon Inlet open 1.3 south but the spit itself is relatively inaccessible---http://www.capehatterasanglersclub.org/images/beachaccess2009/August2009/oregon%20inlet%20813.pdf

Hatteras Island--7 miles still closed. Ramp 23 closed, along with most of the beach between ramp 23 and ramp 27. Half of the beach between ramp 27 and ramp 30 closed. The hook and the vast majority of south beach closed---http://www.capehatterasanglersclub.org/images/beachaccess2009/August2009/hatteras%20island%20813.pdf

Ocracoke Island--Mostly open but the spits still closed---http://www.capehatterasanglersclub.org/images/beachaccess2009/August2009/ocracoke%20island%20813.pdf

Birds Home

Submitted by whatup on Tue, 08/11/2009 at 11:04 pm.

What gets me is the authorities closing down a beach for a bird nest. The same bird chose to build their nest there despite the traffic. So why the fuss about 4 wheel drives driving near an area that don't bother the bird. It's a joke to close down the beach. If it was a problem the mother bird would choose a more private area.