Warning about the OBX ....

[DeezUU]

Twas about 3 years ago or so .....

Enjoying a relaxing day on the beach with the top down / doors off and helping a friend of mine dig out his F150 , we were graced by a visit from a park ranger . She handed me a ticket and said I was being find for 'jumping the dunes' and 'disturbing the wildlife' .

Flashback 45minutes .....

Whilst heading out to our perfect spot near the bridge to get out fish on , we encounter a stuck 4-Runner . We stop to see if they need help , but they insisted that everything was under control . They did advise the sand was very soft just ahead and if we headed inland about 100ft we should be fine . We drove around the washouts , drove near a flock of seagulls ( a few flew away ) , and parked our rides . We started enjoying the day when we realized we needed more ice , so my friend started to head out when BAM ! stuck . No big .

Enter park ranger .

We had been watched by the fish and wildlife management officer on our trek . We had evidentally driven across a dune . I says WHAT ? We were informed that any mound of sand as little as 6 inches tall with no less than 3 blades of grass was considered a DUNE . And that by driving by the birds , we disturbed their natural habitat . I got out of the bird thing , but she followed my tracks back to a mound of sand NOT VISIBLE from the driver seat and she said that it was considered a natural dune and I recieved a $250 fine . She said the law was clearly marked at the beach entrance ( which it isnt because it doesn't define a dune ) . I later found out that they target younger folk in bigger trucks specifically with VA tags . I was told this by another ranger at the boat ramp as he laughed .

Just a word of caution ... they's lookin at you !!!

[Focal E46]

Thanks for the heads up :thup:

[Dirk Dickbutt]

I heard about that shit. A few of my boys were thrown of the beach down there this past weekend.

[vasponger]

damn i never even seen a cop down there when ive driven on the beach

[BigHead Ted]

i guess ill never go down there. i cant control myself, i go crazy with my jeep just on a dirt road.

[SHOFEAR94]

Ive been down there north of Corolla about 6 times and we were only harassed once by Currituck County's finest because they had followed some 16 year olds in rock crawler Cherokees into the same area I was so they busted us all. They said we were tresspassing and destroying property, but had to let us go because there are few if any signs and no owner to file a complaint. I tread lightly, my stock Jeep requires it.

[DeezUU]

I'm not saying don't go down there .... that place is a helluva good time and I love doing beach trips there . I still go about 10 times a year ( already twice this year ) . But I just wanted to pass it on that VA tags are targeted . Younger drivers are targeted . It came directly from a park ranger's mouth ! I thought that was complete BS , but I guess they have to generate reveneu one way or another ! I am a member of the NCBBA and have even heard members say that you WILL be watched HEAVILY if you have VA tags . I guess it's stereotyping since that's where a majority of the violations come from . My $250 lesson was complete BS and they seperated everyone in my group and questoned us 1 at a time . Everyones story's lined up and they couldn't say dick about running through birds , but the tracks to the 6inch high dune was proof enough for the other offense . We were all VERY pissed off and the others chipped in to help pay for the fine that only I got ( I guess that's what I get for having a very recognizable Jeep >> only citron green in the area at that time ) .

[Ninety7GSX]

I got a ticket for camping on the beach. I wasn't even asleep when the plane flew over us or the ranger came up on us and we didn't have any camp materials. 2 of my buddies were asleep on their surf boards and the other was fishing. I was emptying the truck out from the carnage of the night before.

Kinda sucked but I guess we could have all gotten tickets.

[C MY 4D]

ya those park rangers are great..... back about five years ago i was turning around to back up to the water.... when one of them claimed i was doing donuts :(

[VB2NER]

thats why i stick more to duck when i go

[bigd0915]

so is there any place you can legally camp on the beach?

we were down in hatteras one time.... just drove out on the beach and slept, (no tent, fishing rods.. nothin, just out on the beach... when we woke up a park ranger was drivin by and just waved... so i waved back.. we were still in our sleeping bags.

i guess ill be more careful.

[DeezUU]

so is there any place you can legally camp on the beach?

we were down in hatteras one time.... just drove out on the beach and slept, (no tent, fishing rods.. nothin, just out on the beach... when we woke up a park ranger was drivin by and just waved... so i waved back.. we were still in our sleeping bags.

i guess ill be more careful.


haha ... we did that at O Inlet once ! We had one of those tent jammies on my friends Toy . We thought we'd be safe if we kept a few poles in the water , but we're saddly mistaken by the rap of a ranger's flashlight on the side of the truck ! Guess it didn't help by having 2 1/2 nekid girls hangin halfway out the tailgate snoring their asses off ! :D

As far as I know ... you gotta have at least 1 member of your party awake at all times .

[Ninety7GSX]

As far as I know ... you gotta have at least 1 member of your party awake at all times .

If that was the case then we would have gotten off. There was 1 of us awake when the ranger flew over and 2 when the one driving arrived.

Check the signs before you go on the sand. As far as I know there isn't a single spot that is legal to camp on the beach. If you are all up or gone before the rangers come then they will never know.

[bigd0915]

that really sux... cause i hate campgrounds... i would rather just camp out under the stars, with no one arround.... plus if everyone practiced "pack it in pack it out" we would be fine.

[DeezUU]

Formal camping is probably no allowed .... the campground would lose money then ! We had a tent that was fixed to the back of the bed .... more like a shelter from the elements ! but it's really a tent . Range told us as long as 1 person was awake , we could do as we pleased .

[nofriends003]

you are not allowed to camp on the beach but if you have a fishing pole out then you allowed to stay out all night.

i have done this before and everything was cool.

you are better off not staying the night though. if you get the tides just right you will wake up in the waterr. i have see the water come up as high as the dunes before. just a little info.

[Crate]

ya... http://www.creightonb.com/SandBored.wmv <- having carolina tags and living here I guess you can get away with doing that. I was driving pretty crazy (but nowhere near any of the dunes, just along the shore line).

I'm also joining the Beach Buggy Association... =]