Laws not alowing beach access in Long Island

[oly5050user]

Sorry for the confusion. The town will not allow any access from public beaches for shore entry of any kind. I am not going spear fishing just want to explore the wrecks. There is a 200ft buffer zone around the swim areas of the public beaches (this includes boats, jet skiing, surfing, spear fishing and any scuba diving activities unless for the purpose of commercial diving work). So even if the wreck is out side the swim area but with in the 200ft buffer zone you cant explore it. Also because some of the public beaches are almost back to back with maybe a few small privet beaches in between. The law basically makes the any inshore wrecks virtually inaccessibly dew to the buffer zone. I understand not allowing boat, jet skis and spear fishing that is just a safety concern but to not allow diving for exploration is just total BS who are we hurting.

Also the towns in long island are very large and cover from north shore to the south shore in there areas they make it tough to find any water access other then by boat and even that is kind of border line because you can dive with in the 200ft buffer zone. So even if I anchor 300ft a way and swim in I can still get a ticket.

Here in LI Sound there are points where a diver can get into the water from shore
except that its private property/town property and not allowed.IF you can get to the site by boat and it is not in a navigatable channel you can dive it.The way I understand it is local law enforcement ends at high tide mark.I could be wrong.
Example is off Bayshore there is a wreck very close to shore, formerly had shore access via beach behind a restaurant.We hit it with a boat and never had any issues with local law enforcement.
Locals on the beach do not want divers as divers in the past were loud and created alot of noise.Trash was left behind and so on.So they got the local town to prohibit the activity.Also may have to do with the town not wishing to take a risk of a lawsuit if someone was to get hurt.

 

[fisheater]

And this used to be a free country . . . .

 

[OMFSDiver]

Come up to Port Jefferson and Mount Sinai. I have never had a problem with access.

 

[TyGuy]

id say go for it...but im just young and reckless

 

[sjensenpiper]

The problem accured when I parked at the beach in bayville about three weeks ago (in the off season) got asked to leave by a cop when I was getting dressed. I did some research and the same ordnance is also in the town of hempsted so basically you cant dive in Nassau county unless it is from a boat or some one you knows privet beach. And some how in bolth ordinances they say cant dive with in the swim zone and 200ft radius around it. I also thought that local jurstiction ended at the high tide line but i think there are some loop holes. Like marine police patrol doing DUI and safty checks.

Got to love you pay $10000 a year in taxes for a small s*it house and can even dive from your tax paid for beaches. It is also funny how they say that we make messes but have you ever see how most of the beach goin a-holes make twice the mess that we do. Most dive clubs in LI do beach clean-up days and care more about the marine environment than most.

 

[oly5050user]

The problem accured when I parked at the beach in bayville about three weeks ago (in the off season) got asked to leave by a cop when I was getting dressed. I did some research and the same ordnance is also in the town of hempsted so basically you cant dive in Nassau county unless it is from a boat or some one you knows privet beach. And some how in bolth ordinances they say cant dive with in the swim zone and 200ft radius around it. I also thought that local jurstiction ended at the high tide line but i think there are some loop holes. Like marine police patrol doing DUI and safty checks.

Got to love you pay $10000 a year in taxes for a small s*it house and can even dive from your tax paid for beaches. It is also funny how they say that we make messes but have you ever see how most of the beach goin a-holes make twice the mess that we do. Most dive clubs in LI do beach clean-up days and care more about the marine environment than most.

Maybe if instead of parking and entering the water you go to the restaurant there and talk to the manager.Ask nicely if it would be ok if you use their beach front to dive from and you agree to stay there for lunch/dinner afterwards?Years ago diving was allowed there via the means I suggested.Used to be lobsters on the wreckage there but did not see any last year.
Police authority may end at the high tide mark but how do you GET to the high tide mark without tresspassing on private property?

 

[Ben_ca]

California did a magnificent job in this regard long ago. drbill, do know the history behind this subject?

The California Coastal Commission is the driving force behind public access to beaches here. Now it depends on which side of the fence you are on whether you think that we have too much or too little access.

Sounds like your case is similar to Malibu and the other SoCal beach issues

California Coastal Access Program

 

[Mr.X]

Got to love you pay $10000 a year in taxes for a small s*it house and can even dive from your tax paid for beaches. It is also funny how they say that we make messes but have you ever see how most of the beach goin a-holes make twice the mess that we do. Most dive clubs in LI do beach clean-up days and care more about the marine environment than most.

I understand your frustration living in that area of NY. Seems every time you turn around you get your __ss kicked for it. Paying taxes should entitle you to some diving access for water which really shouldn't be the domain of some wealthy property owner protecting their teeny bit of shore turf.

X

 

[StevenN]

There is a similar access issue at a beach here in Northern California-
Pacifica Riptide: SHELTER COVE

The owner claims that anyone using the beach would create litter but if you could see what a rathole the place is the existing problem is a lot worse than your average beach litter.

 

[Scott L]

The California Coastal Commission is the driving force behind public access to beaches here. Now it depends on which side of the fence you are on whether you think that we have too much or too little access.

Sounds like your case is similar to Malibu and the other SoCal beach issues

California Coastal Access Program

I have not frequented CA a whole lot but they preserved access and view by an exponential factor as compared to Florida. PC Highway is testimony to that...