(See attached file: 072910 Beach Access Report.doc)

      National Park Service Beach Access Report for July 29, 2010
            FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  July 29, 2010
            CONTACT: 252-473-2111, ext. 148

   Cape Hatteras National Seashore beaches are being managed under the
   terms of the U.S. District Court approved consent decree.  Park visitors
   can expect to see resource closures for breeding shorebirds in effect to
   varying degrees from mid-March to mid-to-late-August and sea turtle
   nesting closures may occur until early November.  Shorebird pre-nesting
   closures were established at the inlets, Cape Point, and South Beach in
   March.  As soon as subsequent breeding activity is observed, the consent
   decree requires that automatic, non-discretionary buffers be
   implemented.

   As of July 29, 2010, of the constantly changing, fluctuating estimated
   68 miles of ocean shoreline within Cape Hatteras National Seashore,
   approximately 27.0 miles of ocean shoreline is open to ORV and
   pedestrian access; approximately 30.1 miles of ocean shoreline is open
   to pedestrian only access; approximately 2.0 miles of ocean shoreline is
   considered “limited access” (areas that are open but may require hiking
   off-trail to access); and approximately 9.2 miles of ocean shoreline are
   temporarily closed to all public access due to shorebird resource
   protection areas.  The latest Google Earth beach access map can be
   viewed at:  http://www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/googleearthmap.htm.
   For more information, check the National Seashore’s website at:
   http://www.nps.gov.

   As of May 1, 2010, all Seashore beaches are closed to off-road vehicles
   between the hours of 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. in accordance with the
   court ordered consent decree.  The 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. prohibition
   on beach driving will remain in effect until November 15, 2010.

   The annual seasonal closures of village beaches to off-road vehicle
   (ORV) use within the National Seashore went into effect at 6:00 a.m. on
   Saturday, May 15, 2010.  Beach driving speed limits are reduced to 15
   mph in all locations open to ORV use, unless otherwise posted, from May
   15 through September 15.  The ORV closures are established in village
   beach areas that receive heavy pedestrian use, including areas adjacent
   to Coquina Beach and the villages of Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands.

   The Beach Access Report is issued every Thursday throughout the breeding
   season and will briefly summarize the current status of access in each
   section of the Seashore listed below.  Updated news will be reported
   weekly in bold, BLUE print.

   Note:  *All distances are approximate. The mileage is determined on a
   weekly basis using GIS data and is divided geographically by island this
   year.  Closure conditions may change in the field on short notice.
   On-site signage, rather than the Beach Access Report or the Google Earth
   map, is the most accurate and current indication of what is open or
   closed to the public.  Closed areas are clearly marked in the field with
   “symbolic fencing” consisting of wooden or carsonite posts, closure
   signs, string, and flagging tape.  Knowledge of tidal changes and
   caution should be exercised while traveling the beaches of the park.
   Pets are strictly prohibited in resource protection areas.  Elsewhere,
   pets must be physically restrained at all time on a leash not exceeding
   6 feet in length.  For more information, please contact:
   cyndy_holda@nps.gov or call
   252-473-2111, ext. 148.

   Bodie Island  (Ramp 1 to Oregon Inlet; 5.7 miles of shoreline)
   Mileage Summary: 3.1 miles open to ORVs and pedestrians; 1.3 miles open
   to pedestrians only; 0.9 of a mile of limited access; 0.4 of a mile
   closed to public access due to resource closures.

   Ramp 1 - Ramp 2 (Coquina Beach Area)   (1.2 miles)
   Status:  The beach is open for pedestrian access, but not for ORV
   access.

   Ramp 2 - Ramp 4   (2.4 miles)
   Status:  Ramp 2 is open for pedestrian access, but not for ORV access.
   From Ramp 4 north, the beach is open for ORV and pedestrian access for
   approximately 2.4 miles.

   Ramp 4 – Oregon Inlet   (Bodie Island Spit: 2.1 miles)
   Status:  The beach is open for ORV and pedestrian access 0.8 of a mile
   south of Ramp 4, where a resource protection area precludes through
   access to the inlet.  There is 0.3 of a mile of “limited access” inlet
   shoreline for pedestrians at the southern end of the Spit.  The area is
   located east of, and close to, the Bonner Bridge and is accessible by
   boat.

   Hatteras Island (Village of Rodanthe south to Hatteras Inlet; 42.8 miles
   of shoreline)
   Mileage Summary:  17.4 miles open to ORVs and pedestrians; 20.4 miles
   open to pedestrians only; 1.1 miles of limited access miles; 3.9 miles
   closed to public access due to resource closures.

   Villages of Rodanthe, Waves, and Salvo - Ramp 23:  (Pea Island NWR
boundary to Ramp 23 – 5.3 miles)
   Status:  The beach is open for pedestrian access, but not for ORV access
   in front of the villages of Rodanthe, Waves, and Salvo.  There is
   pedestrian access for 5.3 miles.

   Ramp 23 - Ramp 27:  (4.3 miles)
   Status:  Ramp 23 is closed to ORV and pedestrian access.  A resource
   closure extends from the Salvo Village boundary south of Ramp 23 and
   precludes ORV and pedestrian access.  There is approximately 2.8 miles
   of ocean shoreline open for ORV and pedestrian access north of Ramp 27.

   Ramp 27 - Ramp 30:  (2.0 miles)
   Status:  The beach is open to ORV and pedestrian access at Ramp 27.
   There is a resource protection 0.01 of a mile south of Ramp 27 that
   precludes through access for ORVs and pedestrians.  The beach is open
   for ORV and pedestrian access for approximately 0.9 of a mile north of
   Ramp 30.

   Ramp 30 - Ramp 34:  (4.3 miles)
   Status:  The beach is open for ORV and pedestrian access for 0.8 of a
   mile south of Ramp 30 and for 3.4 miles north of Ramp 34.  A full beach
   closure for a sea turtle protection area precludes through ORV access.

   Ramp 34 - Ramp 38:  (3.9 miles)
   Status:  The beach is open for ORV access for approximately 0.4 of a
   mile south of Ramp 34.  The beach in front of Avon Village is open for
   pedestrian access, but not for ORV access. There is pedestrian access
   for 3.9 miles.

   Ramp 38 - Ramp 43:  (6.0 miles; includes the Haulover soundside & Buxton
   Village)
   Status:  The beach is open to ORV and pedestrian access for 1.0 of a
   mile south of Ramp 38, where a resource protection closure precludes
   through access.  Pedestrian access is open for approx. 1.6 mile north of
   the Buxton Village boundary.  From Ramp 43 north, the beach is open to
   ORV and pedestrian access for 0.4 of a mile.


   Ramp 43 - Ramp 44:   (0.4 of a mile)
   Status:  The beach is open for ORV and pedestrian access.

   Ramp 44 - Ramp 45:  (Ramp 44 to tip of Cape Point: 1.0 miles; Cape Point
   tip to Ramp 45: 1.4 miles)
   Status:  Ramp 44 is open and the east side of Cape Point is open to ORV
   and pedestrian access south for approximately 1.0 mile and 0.1 of a mile
   west of oceanside “hook.”  Salt Pond Road is closed.

   Ramp 45 - Ramp 49:  (South Beach: 3.4 miles)
   Status:  Ramp 45 is open and there is ORV and pedestrian access for 0.2
   of a mile east and 0.2 of a mile west of the ramp access.

   Ramp 49 - Ramp 55:  (5.9 miles; includes Frisco and Hatteras Village)
   Status:  The beach is open to ORV and pedestrian use north of Ramp 49
   for approximately 700 meters where a full beach closure for a sea turtle
   protection area is located and precludes ORV access.  There is
   pedestrian access behind the protection area and pedestrian access
   extends east for approximately 2.4 miles towards South Beach.  South of
   Ramp 49 there is ORV and pedestrian access for approximately 1.2 miles
   to the Frisco Village line.  There is pedestrian, but not ORV, access
   from the Frisco village line to 0.1 of a mile east of Ramp 55.

   Ramp 55 - Hatteras Inlet:  (Hatteras Inlet Spit: 2.6 miles)
   Status:  ORV and pedestrian access is open along the ocean shoreline
   from Ramp 55 south/west to Hatteras Inlet and the “Rip.”  The Pole Road
   is open to ORV and pedestrians from Ramp 55 south to the Spur Road.
   Cable Crossing area is open (with limited parking).  The Spur Road is
   open.  The pre-nesting areas at the overwash fans and the inlet have
   been removed.

  Ocracoke Island  (19.9 miles of shoreline)
   Mileage Summary: 6.5 miles open to ORVs and pedestrians; 8.5 miles open
   to pedestrians only; 0.0 limited access miles; 4.9 miles closed to
   public access due to resource closures.

  Hatteras Inlet (North Ocracoke Spit) to Ramp 59:  (1.3 miles)
  Status:  Ramp 59 is open to ORV and pedestrian access.  A resource
  protection closure, located 0.2 of a mile north of Ramp 59 precludes
  access for ORV and pedestrians to the north end and the inlet.

  Ramp 59 - Ramp 67:  (7.8 miles)
  Status:  Ramp 59 is open to ORV access for approximately 0.3 of a mile
  south where a full beach closure for a sea turtle protection area is
  located and precludes ORV access.  With the removal of a bird protection
  area, there is pedestrian access south of Ramp 59 through to Ramp 67.
  There is no through ORV access between these two ramps.

  Ramp 67 - Ramp 70 (includes Ramp 68):  (3.8 miles; includes Ramp 68)
  Status:  The beach is open for ORV and pedestrian access for 0.6 of a
  mile south of Ramp 67.  The beach in front of the Ocracoke Campground and
  the Ocracoke Day Use area is open for pedestrian access, but not for ORV
  access.

  Ramp 70 - Ramp 72:  (1.8 miles)
  Status:  The beach is open to ORV and pedestrian access.

  Ramp 72 to South Point:   (2.6 miles)
  Status:  The beach is open to ORV and pedestrian access on the ocean
  shoreline for approximately 1.6 miles south of Ramp 72.  A resource
  protection closure precludes through access for ORV and pedestrians to
  the inlet.  The former “limited access” section of inlet shoreline on the
  tip of South Point is now closed to all public entry for AMOY breeding
  activity.


Temporary resource protection areas are necessary to protect threatened
and endangered species and species of concern including piping plovers,
American oystercatchers, colonial waterbirds (3 species of terns and black
skimmers), and sea turtles.  Posted areas are closed to vehicles,
pedestrians, and pets.

                                   -NPS-
 

CapeHatteras National Seashore

Resource Management Field Summary for July 22–July 28, 2010 

(Bodie, Hatteras and Ocracoke Districts)

Piping Plover (PIPL)Observations:

Monitoring for breeding behavior has ceased. Monitoring for migratory PIPL and other migrant avian species is being conducted weekly.

Final PIPL Breeding Summary:

* This counts the three egg nest on Ocracoke, found 6/29, as a separate nest, although it is believed that this nest may be a clutch continuation from Nest #15, which was predated by ghost crabs 6/23.

American Oystercatchers (AMOY):

2010 AMOY Breeding Pairs:  Twenty-three confirmed breeding pairs of AMOYs have been documented this year. 

Bodie District:

• GreenIsland:  The southern brood has 2 fledged chicks and the northern brood has 2 fledged chicks. On 7/27, one adult from the southern pair was observed with 1 banded fledgling and 1 unbanded fledgling, even though we banded 2 chicks from this pair. So there may be 3 total fledglings for this pair as 1 of 3 may have been with the other adult elsewhere.
• BodieIsland:  No AMOY breeding behavior was observed this week.   
• Bodie/Hatteras District (Rodanthe to Ramp 30):  One pair has one unfledged chick that hatched on 6/26 and was banded on 7/21.  Two other pairs have fledged a total of four chicks.

Hatteras District:  All AMOY breeding activity has ended.  11 pair fledged 18 chicks.

Ocracoke District:  

• North Ocracoke:  One pair has one fledged chick.  
• Other Beaches (Ramp 59-Ramp 72):  The northern-most pair has fledged one chick.  A second pair lost their chicks on or before 7/1.
• South Point:  One pair hatched one chick on Friday 7/16. The 13-day-old chick has been observed daily along the Ocracoke Inlet shoreline.

Colonial Waterbirds (CWB):

            BodieDistrict:  

Colony BIC01- 0.8 mi S of Ramp 4 active with LETE scrapes, chicks and fledglings. Also, on 7/28, BLSK adults and scrapes were observed.

GreenIsland:

Colony GIC01- N, W, and S end of Green Island active with COTE scrapes, nests and chicks.

Bodie Hatteras District:

Colony BHC01- 0.3 mi N of Ramp 23 to 0.3 mi S of Ramp 23 active with LETE nests, chicks and fledglings.

Colony BHC02- 0.2 mi S of Ramp 27 active with LETE chicks and fledglings.

Hatteras District:

Colony HIC01 - 1.5 mi S of Ramp 38 to 2.4 mi S of Ramp 38 active with LETE nests, chicks and fledglings.

Colony HIC02 - 0.1 mi W of Ramp 45 active with LETE chicks and fledglings.

Colony HIC03 - 0.1 mi E of Salt Pond Road is active with LETE chicks and fledglings.

Ocracoke District:

Colony OIC01- 0.9 mi S of Ramp 72 no activity.

Colony OIC02- 0.1 mi N of Ramp 59 active with two LETE incubating nests.

Colony OIC02-A- 0.8 mi N of Ramp 59 no activity as of 7/27.

Sea Turtle Nests(New Nests this Week):

Bodie District Nests:

7/27 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.1 mi S of Ramp 2.

Bodie District False Crawls:

None this week.

Bodie Hatteras District Nests:

7/23 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.1 mi S of Ramp 23.

Bodie Hatteras District False Crawls:

None this week.

Hatteras District Nests:

7/22 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.7 miles W of Ramp 45

7/22 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.6 mi E of Ramp 49

7/22 -- A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.6 mi W of Ramp 49

7/24 -- A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.1mi W of Ramp 45

7/24 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 2.0 mi NE of Ramp 55

7/24 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.6 mi NE of Ramp 55

7/26 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.4 mi N of Ramp 55

7/27 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.8 mi E of Ramp 49

7/27 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.4 mi N of Ramp 38

7/28 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 2.8mi N of Ramp 38

7/28 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.7mi N of Ramp 34

7/28 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 0.4 mi Sof Ramp 34

7/28 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 1.0mi Sof Ramp 30

Hatteras District False Crawls:

7/22 -- A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 0.6 mi E of Ramp 49

7/23 -- A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 2.3 mi SE of Ramp 49

7/23 -- A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 3.6 mi SE of Ramp 49

7/24 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 2.25 mi NE of Ramp 55

7/28– A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 1 miNof Ramp 43

Ocracoke District Nests:

7/22 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found .35 mi S of Ramp 68

7/22 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found 2.7 mi N of Ramp 68

7/25 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found .47 mi N of Ramp 70

7/26 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found .13 mi N of Ramp 72

7/26 – A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found .56 mi S of Ramp 70

7/27 - A loggerhead sea turtle nest was found .3 mi N of Ramp 70

Ocracoke District False Crawl:

7/26 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 1.19 mi S of Ramp 59

7/27 – A loggerhead sea turtle false crawl was found 3.87 mi N of Ramp 67

New nests this week: 21

Total nests to date:  122*

New false crawls this week: 6

Total false crawls to date:  87

Nests hatched this week: 1

Total nests hatched to date: 1

*The most nests ever documented on the seashore

Sea Turtle Strandings:

Bodie District:

            None this week

Hatteras District:

7/23 – An dead adult loggerhead sea turtle was found 0.4 mi W Ramp 45. The sea turtle was discovered without a head or front flippers. A necropsy revealed shark bites on the sea turtle and no visible signs of human interaction.

Ocracoke District:

None this week

Marine Mammals:

Bodie District:

7/23 – A dead Bottlenose dolphin was found 2.1 mi S of Ramp 2.

Hatteras District:

None this week.

Ocracoke District:

None this week.

Closures – additions/modifications/removals:

Closure intrusions:

BodieDistrict:

7/22 – Six pedestrians observed walking on the beach inside the resource closure at Ramp 23.

7/22   - Two sets of pedestrian tracks and 1 set of dog tracks entered the resource closure; Ramp 23.

7/22 - 21 pedestrians observed at or below the high-tide line inside the resource closure at Ramp 27. Pedestrians were contacted by LE.

7/27 - One set of bare footprints were observed along the water 0.2 mi South of Ramp 27.

7/27 - One person was walking along the water inside the closure at Ramp 23.

Hatteras District:

7/23 – Three sets of footprints documented inside the LETE closure 1.5 mi S of Ramp 38.

7/23 – A jogger was observed in the LETE closure 1.7 mi S of Ramp 38.

7/28 – Pedestrian tracks observed in the sea turtle nest closure 1.9 mi N of Ramp 55.

7/28 – Pedestrian and dog tracks were observed in the sea turtle nest closure 2 mi N of Ramp 55. The closure string was broken.

7/28 – Pedestrian and dog tracks were observed in the sea turtle nest closure 2.2 mi W of Ramp 49.

7/28 – One set of pedestrian tracks were observed in the sea turtle nest closure 0.1 mi W of Ramp 49.

7/28 – Five sets of pedestrian tracks were observed in the expanded sea turtle nest closure just E of Ramp 49.

OcracokeDistrict:

7/28 – Two individuals landed a boat on the sound-side shoreline of South Point, but left before contact could be made.