National Park Service Beach Access Report for April 6, 2007

Date: April 6, 2007
Contact: Outer Banks Group, [phone]

Spring is in the air! Outer Banks birdlife, wildlife and fish abound!

This is the first Beach Access Report for the 2007 season. This report includes the newly established pre-nesting closures, implemented during the week of March 26, 2007. Under the new Interim Protected Species Management Strategy, there will be closure adjustments as the season progresses. These updates will be shown in the Beach Access Reports. All distances are approximate.

Bodie Island District (Coquina Beach to Ramp 27)

There are approximately 16.5 miles of ocean shoreline in the Bodie Island District (excluding Pea Island).16.5 miles are open to pedestrians and 14.9 miles are open for ORV access.

Ramp 1 - Ramp 2 (Coquina Beach Area)

A SAFETY beach closure is 1.6 miles long. This section is open for pedestrian access, but not ORV access.

Ramp 2 - Ramp 4 to Bodie Island Spit

The beach is open for ORV and pedestrian access along the ocean shoreline to the inlet sound side near Herbert Bonner (Oregon Inlet) Bridge. Some areas may experience access limitations during extreme high tides or winds.

A RESOURCE protection area (prenesting area) was established at Bodie Island Spit on March 26, 2007. It includes interior areas of the spit and the shoreline of the "pond." Access to pond from the northeast side is closed as part of the RESOURCE protection area. An ocean/inlet shoreline access corridor is currently being maintained above the high tide line for ORV and pedestrian access to the southwest side of the inlet near Bonner Bridge.

Villages of Rodanthe, Waves, and Salvo: (north of Ramp 23 for 3 miles to Pea Island NWR boundary)

Beach is open for ORV and pedestrian access.

Ramp 23 - Ramp 27:

Beach is open for ORV and pedestrian access.

Hatteras Island District (Ramp 27 South to Hatteras Inlet)

The Hatteras District has a total distance of 31.9 miles of ocean shoreline. There are 30.6 miles open to pedestrians and 22.2 miles of beach are open for ORV access. ORV use is restricted by 8.4 miles of safety closures. Approximately 1.25 miles are closed due to full beach resource protection closures.

Ramp 27 - Ramp 30: (2.2 miles of shoreline)

Beach is open for ORV and pedestrian access.

Ramp 30 - Ramp 34:

Beach is open for ORV and pedestrian access.

Ramp 34 - Ramp 38:

Beach is open for ORV and pedestrian access from Ramp 34 to 0.2 miles south of Avon Pier. Currently, there is no through access for ORVs to Ramp 38. Pedestrian access is open.

A SAFETY closure of 1.6 miles begins 0.2 miles south of Avon Pier and extends to Ramp 38. This section is open to pedestrian access, but not ORV access.

Ramp 38 - Ramp 43:

The beach is open to ORV and pedestrian access for 0.8 of a mile south of Ramp 38. Currently there is no through access for ORVs between Ramp 38 and Ramp 43.Pedestrian access is open.

A SAFETY closure is 2.8 miles long, beginning 1.8 of a mile south of Ramp 38 to .4 of a mile north of Ramp 43, due to very narrow beaches. This section is open to pedestrian access, but not ORV access.

Ramp 43 - Ramp 44:

The beach is open for ORV and pedestrian access along the ocean shoreline to Cape Point.

Ramp 44 - Ramp 49:

The beach is open to ORV and pedestrian access from Ramp 44 south to Cape Point and from Cape Point south/west for approximately 0.4 mile, where there is full beach closure due to a Resource protection area. The full beach closure extends to Ramp 45. The Interdunal Road between Ramps 44 and 45 is open, with ORV and pedestrian access open between Ramps 45 and 49. Salt Pond Road is closed due to a Resource protection area.

Cape Point:

ORV and pedestrian access is open to Cape Point from Ramps 43 and 44, and south/west from Cape Point along the shoreline for approximately 0.4 miles to where a RESOURCE protection area begins.

A RESOURCE protection area (prenesting area) was established March 27, 2007. It included interior areas of Cape Point and a complete shoreline closure that started approximately 0.4 miles south/west of Cape Point and ended approximately 0.1 east of Salt Pond Road. On April 4 the RESOURCE protection area was modified and expanded south/west to Ramp 45 due to piping plover foraging behavior outside the protected area. The total closure distance is 0.9 miles. Three pairs of piping plovers have been regularly observed within the combined RESOURCE protection area.

South Beach:

The Interdunal Road is open to ORV and pedestrian access between Ramps 44 and 45. Salt Pond Road is closed due to a RESOURCE protection area (described above). Access is open between Ramps 45 and 49.

Ramp 49 - Ramp 55:

The beach is open to ORV and pedestrian access for 1.1 miles south of Ramp 49 to the boundary of the Frisco andHatteras Village closure. Pedestrian access is open to Ramp 55. Currently there is no through ORV access between Ramp 49 and Ramp 55.

A SAFETY closure for Frisco Village and Hatteras Village is 4.0 miles long. This section is open to pedestrian access, but not ORV access.

Ramp 55 - Hatteras Inlet:

ORV and pedestrian access is open along the ocean shoreline from Ramp 55 south to 0.3 mile south of the southern exit of the Pole Road, where a RESOURCE protection area begins. Pole Road is open from Ramp 55 south to the Isabel overwash areas, where traffic is routed onto the beach due to a RESOURCE protection area. South of the overwash areas, Pole Road is open. The Cable Crossing route is open to access along the sound shoreline to the inlet. ORV access ends at the northwest corner of the spit. From that point, pedestrian access is open along the shoreline for several hundred feet to the vicinity of the "Rip."

A RESOURCE protection area (prenesting area) was established at the Isabel overwash area from the sound shoreline to the ocean dune on March 28. Ocean shoreline access is open past this area.

A RESOURCE protection area (prenesting area) was established March 28 south of the southern exit of Pole Road. The area includes upper beach and interior areas south of Pole Road and a full ocean beach closure beginning approximately 0.3 miles south of the southern exit of Pole Road. The full beach closure is approximately 0.35 miles long and continues south/west to the inlet in the vicinity of the "Rip." ORV and pedestrian access is open along the sound shoreline from Cable Crossing to the northwest corner of the spit. From that point, pedestrian access continues for several hundred feet south/east to the vicinity of the "Rip" where the RESOURCE protection area and full shoreline closure begins.

Ocracoke Island District

The Ocracoke Island District has a total of 16.3 miles of ocean shoreline. 16.3miles are open to pedestrian use and approximately 11.1 milesare open to ORV use. ORV use is restricted by an ORV SAFETY closure 5.2 miles long.

Ramp 59 - Ramp 67: (7.6 miles of shoreline)

There is no through ORV shoreline access between these two ramps. Pedestrian access is open.

ORV and pedestrian access is open for 0.5 mile north of Ramp 59 to the North Ocracoke Spit.

A SAFETY closure is 5.2 miles long, and begins 1.0 miles south of Ramp 59 to 1.4 miles north of Ramp 67. This section is open to pedestrian access but not to ORV access.

Ramp 67 - Ramp 70: (3.4 miles of shoreline)

The beach is open to ORV and pedestrian access.

Ramp 70 - Ramp 72 and to South Ocracoke Spit:

The beach is open to ORV and pedestrian access from Ramp 70 south along ocean shoreline, for approximately 4.8 miles, to the inlet.

A RESOURCE protection area (prenesting area) was established March 29 that encompasses interior and soundside areas of the spit. Ocean shoreline access is open to South Point.

Temporary resource protection areas are necessary to protect threatened and endangered species and species of concern including Piping Plovers, American Oystercatchers, Colonial Waterbirds (Terns and Skimmers), and sea turtles. Posted areas are closed to vehicles, pedestrians and pets.