Very well said. Is the local newspaper interested in a story?
Is a petition of beach goers at the park possible?

Give me a day or so to do some research and make a few phone calls to see what we can get rolling. I dont know alot of the technical details as some of you, but I have plenty of time on my hands to do as much leg work as needed, and walk the beach daily, weekdays and weekends, to get petitions signed and forwarded to the appropriate officials. If anyone has any suggestions or contacts let me know. I have a few people I can call to get the petition started.

I am an out of towner.
Hopefully Kitester (Paul) can contact you and you guys can work together.

If you guys need anything done online (web stuff) I will be glad to volunteer the time.

The bird groups and FWC are still pushing for a way to stop access for cars on the shoals at low tide. This is the problem ...if it is unmarked people will still drive out there...if it is marked then how? They want to put up posts with ropes between them. There is no real reason but that is what they want. Posts will be a hazard to kiters. They already are where they extend out into the bay side on the north point. They are a hazard to fishermen, jets skis and other small craft. We must reject the idea of a fixed year round line of posts across the point. This is just another way to limit the use of HP by the people of jacksonville. E-mail your councilman today.

I just recieved an e-mail about the tidal shoals north of the point at HP. The management plan does call for a ban on automotive access. There could be a simple way to stop cars and still leave the area open and natural. My suggestion would be to use the front end loader already at the park to remove some of the sand along the first low area and begin to help a small channel to form. This could separate the shoal from the park with a barrier of deeper water. It may have to be "reset" occasionally because of the moving sand but would be a good way to keep people from driving out. A maintained two foot depth, ten feet wide should do the trick and then fine anyone who attempts to drive out through the water. A few signs placed along the line would warn of fines for crossing the onto the shoal in a car. Each patron coming into the park should receive a small paper map of the park that shows the off limits areas and the fines/penalties associated with each. This plan would offer good access to people and keep the natural character of the beach. I think this would be much better and safer than a row of pvc posts and yellow rope. This channel almost forms anyway. On all but the lowest tide the sandbars north of the point can't be accessed except by pedestrians or by boat. I asked if this would be possible and was told that Department of Environmental Protection would object. I know the city will opt for the least expensive way to accomplish the task. The HPMP calls for adaptive management. Permanent posts and rope is not adaptive and a natural barrier would be far more effective.

I found another group working to save our park also.

http://ww.floridaopenbeaches.org/

You may already have been in contact with them, just wanted to pass along the site.