Keep Off The Dunes

If you ask people to come visit the beach and spend lots of money there going to get down on the beach anyway thay can and if everyone else is cutting through the dunes why not? Maybe if there are no public walkovers the beaches should be closed. Or fix the dunes later.

If you like the beach, stay off the dunes or the beach will not be there when you return. Period. Take it or leave it.

hi
i'd just like to clarify a couple of things because i don't want you to misunderstand me. i love grayton and yes, i'm a tourist when i visit.
but i do follow the rules and try to leave nature just as i found it.
we usually rent the walker house, and don't use the path through the dunes to get to the beach - we do use the public beach access by t-time. Occassionally on a walk, alone, enjoying the beautiful scenary, i have walked through that dune area(not on the dune, but in between them) -i did not intentionally mean to be breaking any rules, as i personally thought that "stay of the dunes" sign meant to stay off of the actual mound. It was only through reading this thread that I learned differently.

I'm not offended that the locals want to preserve the beauty of the area - i think it's great. I think that that type of love of nature and care for the community is what may possibly keep grayton from becoming, say, the next Gulf Shores/Orange Beach. I remember going to Gulf Shores as a child and seeing hundred's of sand dunes. my father taught us not to climb them and not to pick the sea oats. unfortunately, it didn't matter in the end because huge condos went up where the dunes once were.

anyway - please don't label me as a tourist that doesn't care. I really do, I was just wrong in assuming it was ok to walk between the dunes.

reece

If you ask people to come visit the beach and spend lots of money there going to get down on the beach anyway thay can and if everyone else is cutting through the dunes why not? Maybe if there are no public walkovers the beaches should be closed. Or fix the dunes later.

Excuse me for being so blunt, but that is one of the dumbest comments I've ever seen on any of these threads.

We always welcome visitors, guests, etc., to the area, but we'd rather have folks with your attitude stay home. You need to read up on dunes, what they are, how they are formed, etc. before you make a comment such as the one above. You sound like the same type of nightmare renter who assumes that since you're paying a rental fee to stay in someone's home, you have a right to tear up or take whatever you like. Any why should the beaches be closed when most folks appreciate the beautiful beaches and will look for the nearest access (yes, sometimes you may have to drive or walk a little until things are back to normal!) rather than tear up what it took nature years to build?!

Personally, I'd rather you stay home and spend your money elsewhere! The few tourist $$$ you bring to the area are nothing compared to the amount of damage you inflict. I understand there are those who don't understand dunes and innocently walk on them. Most of these folks will get off as soon as they are informed. But people like you who KNOW the damage that you do but just don't care....do it because "everyone else is cutting through the dunes why not?"

Thankfully, most visitors to the area are thoughtful, considerate, friendly and in awe of the beauty. Unless you change your attitude, for the sake of all who enjoy the beauty of South Walton beaches and the awesome dunes....PLEASE STAY AWAY!!

Excuse me for being so blunt, but that is one of the dumbest comments I've ever seen on any of these threads.

We always welcome visitors, guests, etc., to the area, but we'd rather have folks with your attitude stay home. You need to read up on dunes, what they are, how they are formed, etc. before you make a comment such as the one above. You sound like the same type of nightmare renter who assumes that since you're paying a rental fee to stay in someone's home, you have a right to tear up or take whatever you like. Any why should the beaches be closed when most folks appreciate the beautiful beaches and will look for the nearest access (yes, sometimes you may have to drive or walk a little until things are back to normal!) rather than tear up what it took nature years to build?!

Personally, I'd rather you stay home and spend your money elsewhere! The few tourist $$$ you bring to the area are nothing compared to the amount of damage you inflict. I understand there are those who don't understand dunes and innocently walk on them. Most of these folks will get off as soon as they are informed. But people like you who KNOW the damage that you do but just don't care....do it because "everyone else is cutting through the dunes why not?"

Thankfully, most visitors to the area are thoughtful, considerate, friendly and in awe of the beauty. Unless you change your attitude, for the sake of all who enjoy the beauty of South Walton beaches and the awesome dunes....PLEASE STAY AWAY!!

THANKS...I couldn't even type after I read that!

THANKS...I couldn't even type after I read that!

Me neither. I had to sit back and take a deep breath before I could type my response. Makes you realize that there will always be those who, no matter how many training materials, signs, etc. are available, will always feel that these things don't pertain to them.

hi
i'd just like to clarify a couple of things because i don't want you to misunderstand me. i love grayton and yes, i'm a tourist when i visit.
but i do follow the rules and try to leave nature just as i found it.
we usually rent the walker house, and don't use the path through the dunes to get to the beach - we do use the public beach access by t-time. Occassionally on a walk, alone, enjoying the beautiful scenary, i have walked through that dune area(not on the dune, but in between them) -i did not intentionally mean to be breaking any rules, as i personally thought that "stay of the dunes" sign meant to stay off of the actual mound. It was only through reading this thread that I learned differently.

I'm not offended that the locals want to preserve the beauty of the area - i think it's great. I think that that type of love of nature and care for the community is what may possibly keep grayton from becoming, say, the next Gulf Shores/Orange Beach. I remember going to Gulf Shores as a child and seeing hundred's of sand dunes. my father taught us not to climb them and not to pick the sea oats. unfortunately, it didn't matter in the end because huge condos went up where the dunes once were.

anyway - please don't label me as a tourist that doesn't care. I really do, I was just wrong in assuming it was ok to walk between the dunes.

reece

Reece, I don't think you would have asked the question if you did not care. I probably stepped on your toes a little too much and I am sorry for "flaming" you.

We need more confessions. Fess up people, I know you are out there. Just kidding. Anyone willing to say they unknowingly did damage in the past are the very ones who are helping educate others today. Thanks to all who share the knowledge.

Excuse me for being so blunt, but that is one of the dumbest comments I've ever seen on any of these threads.

We always welcome visitors, guests, etc., to the area, but we'd rather have folks with your attitude stay home. ...

Unless you change your attitude, for the sake of all who enjoy the beauty of South Walton beaches and the awesome dunes....PLEASE STAY AWAY!!

Rather, move away from SoWal and please take your geodunes with you.

thanks SJ - i feel better now

reece

Thanks for that comment about how tall the dunes were back in the 1960s, when we had a long spell of no hurricane action. I recall the dunes seemed towering and I know I wasn't that much shorter then! The dunes were also covered with sea oats, which people picked for their houses until they were practically all gone. We didn't walk on the dunes back then because they were so big that you couldn't get up there. I have a very old etching of the Grayton Beach "Butler's Store," now The Red Bar in which the old store is surrounded by big dunes on three sides. The etching was done from an old black-and-white photograph.

I have been dismayed to see children stomping on the edge of dunes and riding the broken sand down to the base of the dune, sliding down dunes on trash can lids, and generally creating mayhem. Sometimes children are polite and cooperate when you ask them not to do these things, but too often they come back with a smart mouth retort. I have always thought that Southern children were better mannered than any I've ever met elsewhere, but it isn't universal. Not that children are the only culprits. We sit on our deck and watch posses of people tromp from The Red Bar straight through the dunes by Bullard House en route to the beach. And sometimes we have seen vehicles attempt to drive up hear the house! I had not thought about lifeguards to safeguard the beaches and the dunes. But this isn't a bad idea, because no one else seems to be patrolling the beaches.

If someone could prepare a little brochure about dune protection, I'll bet everyone would post these at their houses for visitors. If we can advertise beach chairs and pizza delivery, we can certainly ask our visitors to save the beaches and other natural areas for future generations.

If you ask people to come visit the beach and spend lots of money there going to get down on the beach anyway thay can and if everyone else is cutting through the dunes why not? Maybe if there are no public walkovers the beaches should be closed. Or fix the dunes later.

I don't want to be rude but if you know you should not be cutting through the dunes, why do it? you really should respect and follow the rules.....be a leader, don't follow the stupid people :nono1:

Rather, move away from SoWal and please take your geodunes with you.

BINGO!

I don't want to be rude but if you know you should not be cutting through the dunes, why do it? you really should respect and follow the rules.....be a leader, don't follow the stupid people :nono1:

EZ4414 is a leader. Didn't you see the geo dunes?

I just read the post by EZ4144- and since I have had a couple glasses of wine, I can only sum up his comments with a "YUCK" and and "EWWWW"!!!And I'm with the rest of y'all- let's hope that person stays away.

Just for fun, I'm going to ask my civil engineer husband his opinion about geodunes. I haven't been to engineering school, but just from osmosis, I'm not getting a good feeling from these things. Geodunes remind me of giant bubblewrap.

Some people have discovered new uses for baby geo dunes. Who would have ever thought that Western Lake would one day become a lazy river?
I hear that EZ4414 will be charging for rides on his, or charging people to walk across it.;-)

Some people have discovered new uses for baby geo dunes. Who would have ever thought that Western Lake would one day become a lazy river?
I hear that EZ4414 will be charging for rides on his, or charging people to walk across it.;-)

I guess if they think they are disguising them as bananas, nobody will notice.

Untill somebody slips on one.

I guess if they think they are disguising them as bananas, nobody will notice.

Untill somebody slips on one.

My first thought when I saw the geotubes was that it looked like the bottom of that blow up jumping thing called a moonwalk. !Ay caramba!...a while back, I posted an innocent idea for dune education..."Moonwalk..yes! Dunewalk...no!" Be careful what you post...I'm getting a little paranoid...no?

I would like to hear from green house owner to hear their side. 1)...did they need a permit to place geotubes on beach or is that considered private property? 2)...what is inside the tubes? 3)...what happens to the tubes if/when another storm comes through? 4) do the tubes come with some kind of warranty/guarantee? 5) where do you stand on septic tank issue? Thanks for your reply green house owner.

I think they need a poopie in their tent. Unfortunately, they probably purchased the tent for purposes of the wedding only. Shame, Shame, Shame! They probably don't have a clue.

I like the idea about fining the photographers for setting up people in the dunes, but we would be better off with a stick, because as you know, the County does not really care about enforcing any rules - we may offend a tourist.

I feel like pulling a little Beastie Boy mischief and leaving a note on site with the reasons as to why I took such actions.

hmmm, look at all the footprint evidence - this aint the first time somebody's walked there

I'VE GOT IT - that cheap, completely degradable orange constuction fence from lowes or home depot - you know the 2' high stuff with the holes in it - surround the whole of the dunes area with it - use wood sticks to hold it up - if it did blow away it will biodegrade rapidly and if got covered up it would help hold the sand - better than that spam about the geotubes anyway

note: florida is shaped the way it is because of natural current flow, counterclockwise in the gulf - we get our dose of mexican sewage coming around the bottom of the loop and they eventually get our sand as it goes around the top.

we get our dose of mexican sewage coming around the bottom of the loop and they eventually get our sand as it goes around the top.

Global economics - trading sand for sewage - there's a strange equation.

and when you've got the construction fence up:

get a airsoft machine gun. it stings but is non-penetrating and non-lethal, wont even put your eye out by accident- we use em to run the squirrels off the squirrel-proof bird feeder

lay in wait for the first screwup that crosses the construction fence

shoot em in the pooper

you know the geotube dude is probably calling all the posters on this site 'a bunch of radical conservative treehuggers who dont want progress' - hope he isnt a regular guy that got stung by the geotube maker

mmmm mmmm hug that tree! did I mention i love trees (and sand and water and fish and dolphin and all the different snappers and lovely oysters and shrimp of all sizes and shovelnose lobster and pompano with the eyes in and crevalle jack steak and seared yellowfin tuna, sorry, went a bit off topic there! YUMMY!)

... and dolphin and all the different snappers and lovely oysters and shrimp of all sizes and shovelnose lobster and pompano with the eyes in and crevalle jack steak and seared yellowfin tuna, sorry, went a bit off topic there! YUMMY!)

Now you've done it! Gotta stop and clean the drool off the keyboard!

dangit - airsoft pellets are not biodegradable! but they make little airsoft paintballs that are!!! red would be the best since it is the color of cooked shovelnose lobster

how many people on this board know that the florida shovelnose 'lobster' is not a real lobster at all but a sand burrowing crustacean with a lobster backend and a digger frontend. There is also another variety, even tastier than 'real lobster', called the 'bulldozer' lobster with a different front end as well.

"Oooh, you have lobster? Can I get a bulldozer instead? Thank you! Oh YEAH!"

Only place to get bulldozer (YUM!) that I know of is the resturant next to the bridge over Ochlochonee Bay (means "the wind", pronounced, like Oklahoma is Oak-La-HO-Ma, its like: Ock-Lock-OH-Nee), called Angelo's, http://ae.tallahassee.com/entertainment/ui/tallahassee/restaurant.html?id=60126&reviewId=10327, down hwy 98 from Gulf Specimen Company in Panacea, http://www.gulfspecimen.org.

I like the fence idea suggested by Marinebiology451, but I would prefer the wooden "snow fencing" for better looks. I've been wondering why it's not up already.

http://www.sowal.com/photos-081005.html - more dune photos

Also, I added some of those photos to the first post of this thread.

I've seen a lot of the orange fencing that has been torn down to make way for foot traffic. I'm not sure how well it will degrade either.

Never seen it done that way before.

Kurt,

What the heck are these things? Styrofoam? Where'd they come from?