# Walking to the Point



## NH Paul (Sep 7, 2017)

This morning I walked to the point from ramp 44. The bird protection fence was up, so I walked way below the high tide line the whole time as low tide happened while I was out there. On the way back, a park employee (not a ranger) stopped me at the bird fence and told me I just walked through a protected area and if a ranger was present I would have been fined $500! I was way outside the fence the whole time and told him I thought I had to be on wet sand which I thought was below the high tide line. He told me I had to be below the LOW tide line in the water no matter the tide which I found hard to believe. There is no info I could find on the park website to see what the rules are. Does anyone know if it is in fact below the low tide line at all times?


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## ncsharkman (Mar 12, 2011)

NH Paul, Do you remember when this was a free country? You are one of the "sheeple" now and must obey the commands of big brother! I guess unless your 71 or close to it you probably don't remember when this place was the USA. How dare you walk on the beach without permission. You could have hurt one of our birds! Don't worry about the thousands of unborn babys being murdered every day but do care for the birds!
Sharkman


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## Hikes run (Aug 9, 2015)

Probably going to be hard to get an accurate answer from anyone. IMO, it's much like residential construction code enforcement. The laws are up to the interpretation of the one enforcing it.


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## stiab (Jul 3, 2015)

I'm pretty sure the accurate answer is you have to walk in the water, not on the beach.


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## Cervus (Feb 5, 2018)

Think about it. If a bird happened to build a nest and lay eggs in the sand at low tide, below the high tide line, what would happen to that nest at high tide? I'm betting dimes to doughnuts that if you stay on wet sand, you'll be within the letter of the law. You can unload and shoulder your weapons now.


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## NH Paul (Sep 7, 2017)

Cervus said:


> You can unload and shoulder your weapons now.


And what exactly do weapons have to do with my post?


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## Cervus (Feb 5, 2018)

NH Paul said:


> And what exactly do weapons have to do with my post?


Not directed at you. Just seems a lot of misdirected animosity based on conjecture. A definitive answer and source would be welcome. Seems like the NPS would define the rules visitors need to follow.


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## bronzbck1 (Jun 13, 2007)

Your feet have to stay wet no matter where the tide is. They actually have in the rule that they control 500’ in the water but it has yet to be challenged. I sure they would lose but who would wast the money to challenge it. So wet feet is there version of giving in some.


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## pmcdaniel (Nov 13, 2013)

NH Paul said:


> He told me I had to be below the LOW tide line in the water no matter the tide which I found hard to believe.


Yeah that don't sound right. What are you supposed to do at high tide, swim?


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## Garboman (Jul 22, 2010)

bronzbck1 said:


> Your feet have to stay wet no matter where the tide is. They actually have in the rule that they control 500’ in the water but it has yet to be challenged. I sure they would lose but who would wast the money to challenge it. So wet feet is there version of giving in some.


Wet Feet is what I was told, and read.

Park Service Employees do not possess Police Powers and a great deal of them are Seasonal Workers who may or may not be trained in anything other than how to wear green pants and a beige shirt and some type of REI approved hiking boots.

There are so many people (Visitors to the Park) who regularly walk into the closed Bird Enclosures and wander around lost, that I would think a Park Ranger will warn you the first time. I once saw ten Kite Borders land in the off limits area and the Rangers actually put all their gear in a NPS Pickup and gave them a ride back to the Fish Cleaning Section...There were some real Hotties in that Kite Board crew so that may have had something to do with it.

I know a couple fellas who were still on the beach at the Point after 9:00PM and they just got warning tickets.

I have retired from Fishing until September, but I am happy to give advice. No Drum at Secret Spot when I left last Week and I had to go back to work after my very short 18 Month Fishing trip to the OBX.

Be nice and you get break, show your ass and you get the ticket

Pretty Sure no CCA Members make the walk so I would not listen to them.


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## NH Paul (Sep 7, 2017)

Garbo your post just reminded me. As I was talking with the park employee, two ladies in bikinis walked up to him to ask a question and he immediately turned his full attention to them so I turned and walked away unscathed. Is this a coincidence or maybe a way to get safe passage? How about an bikini escort service (for a nominal fee if you can't provide your own) from the fence to the point. Fishermen are happy and park employees are happy!


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## pmcdaniel (Nov 13, 2013)

There you go Garbo, if you start up a Bikini escort service you'll never have to leave! Unless you're the one in the bikini of course...


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## retired (Oct 20, 2016)

My wife can still kill a bikini at 42.......so this old man is safe..........

pays to marry a young chick.......


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