North Brigantine Natural Area

[46er]

The state has taken over permits for this area this year. $50 for NJ residents and will be limiting access; an interesting place to wander.

http://www.nj.gov/dep/newsrel/2017/17_0124.htm

 

[lj762]

There will be a public meeting to discuss this on Tue 2/27 6-8pm at Brigantine North Middle School. (Second item down on http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/ ).

There was also some recent coverage in the Press of Atlantic City.
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/...cle_c317056b-ec48-5e71-9c66-3cc2653c9324.html

Worth reading if you are interested. Quote from Brigantine mayor: "We have not had any rational answer given to us as to why they [the state] would prohibit certain activities..."

 

[46er]

Quote from Brigantine mayor: "We have not had any rational answer given to us as to why they [the state] would prohibit certain activities..."

That is what the meeting is about. They had a cash cow with no expense in years past as they were selling the passes for the state owned North End. I can understand their frustration. They were getting $175 for a pass that will now be $50, and they sold a lot of them.

https://brigantinenow.com/new-rules-2017-brigantine-4x4-permits-beach-tags/

 

[Jon Holcombe]

They are allowing access the same way Island Beach State Park allows access. Fisherman only allowed. I called Island Beach State Park a few months ago and they told me that I cannot enter the beach without fishing rods and gear in the car. Apparently photographers are a threat to the environment, and piping plovers. The permit may have been a cash cow for Brigantine, but at least you could get onto the beach, legally, without disguising myself as a fisherman. The good news is enforcement will probably be the same on the beach as it is in the woods. Spotty or non-existent. The bad news is if you follow the rules, and aren't a fisherman, you would have to buy some second hand fishing gear just to get onto the beach. I wonder if fisherman are allowed to take photos? Maybe they'll have a Park Police "lifeguard" that yells at you to keep fishing.

 

[Boyd]

I called Island Beach State Park a few months ago and they told me that I cannot enter the beach without fishing rods and gear in the car.

What does that mean? You can pay to enter Island Beach State Park but you aren't allowed on the beach? Had a quick look at the website and didn't see anything about that. Or are you talking about driving on the beach?

 

[bobpbx]

I think Jon means driving on the beach. My neighbor used to go throughout the summer. He would drive on, throw his line in the water, and put the rod in the holder. His family would lie on the beach or take a dip in the water. Definitely not totally fair. His truck was eaten up by salt after a few years though.

You can park on the main road and go on the beach without gear. But stay off the dunes.

 

[Jon Holcombe]

This is thread is about permit access for driving on the beach. I was about to buy a new one for Brigantine and Long Beach Island but I have to rethink my strategy.

 

[Boyd]

OK, I see, sorry. Did not look at any of the links, but there was no mention in the thread about driving, just permits and access. Why do you need to drive on Island Beach to take photos? I have been taking them there for almost thirty years and never drove on the beach. We even shot a film there in 2003.

 

[Jon Holcombe]

To be honest, before I called the permit office (last fall) I confused Island Beach State Park with Long Beach Island (Holgate Preserve).

Once I figured out that I really wanted to get the LBI permit, I waited until this year to renew my Brigantine and get the LBI permit. Brigantine is 2.5 miles to the north point from the asphalt parking lot, and I did not feel like hiking in at 3 AM with my 30 lb. backpack to get a sunrise shot. I tried to drive in last October, got halfway and saw the "Closed Cause Piping Plovers Are Getting Busy" sign (they were playing Barry White on a boom box to encourage them). I called LBI- Holgate over a month ago and was planning to get the permit this month. I think I will first get a cheap rod and tackle box in the event that I want to become a DEP beach guerilla.

Not to change the subject, but what film did you shoot in 2003?

 

[Boyd]

Allright, that makes sense. The way I read your post, you were talking about Island Beach and the statement "Apparently photographers are a threat to the environment" seemed out of place when there is easy access to that beach for anyone.

We shot video that was projected on a 50 foot screen during our production of "Il Trovatore" at the Opera Company of Philadelphia in 2003. We were there all day and long after dark, probably broke just about every rule, and nobody ever tried to stop us.

http://www.boydostroff.com/il-trovatore-2003/
http://www.boydostroff.com/il-trovatore-2003/video-shoot-at-island-beach-state-park-992003/

 

[Jon Holcombe]

Beautiful design and footage. Being an opera (and musical/play) ignoramus, did the stage go dark when the footage was shown on the screen, i.e. in the middle of an act, or was the film shown to open an act and then the stage lights come on and the actors/singers begin?

 

[Boyd]

It was integrated into the opera and projected on a scrim, which appears opaque when lit from the front but you can see through it when you add lighting behind. Sorry, we are getting way off topic here....

 

[46er]

I did not feel like hiking in at 3 AM with my 30 lb. backpack to get a sunrise shot.

A couple solutions for you. 1-Get a small pack for the gear you need. 2-If you absolutely need 30lbs of gear, get a gear cart(see pic), much easier on the back, it is similar to what some surf fishermen use that do not own beach capable vehicles. 3- go to just about any other east facing beach. Barnegat Light SP has a walkway part way out.

A walk-in shot taken from a public beach.

I think I will first get a cheap rod and tackle box in the event that I want to become a DEP beach guerilla.

Be careful, read the regs. You have to be actually fishing; line with bait in the water, which means you will also need to register in the free NJ Saltwater Registry program; see link below. SPP are aware of the poacher tricks and do ticket. The NJBBA members enjoy turning them in. And just do not get stuck out there; it is a very lonely place at 3am when the tide starts to rise AAA will not come and get you and local tow services charge hefty fee's.

http://www.nj.gov/dep/saltwaterregistry

Oops!

 

[Jon Holcombe]

Pretty sunrise, that's what I am talking about! I paid Flynn's for a "recovery" at Whitesbog in August and you are right, it was not cheap. I guess they figure fisherman will not be nature walking on the dunes, and hence no threat to the birds. I hiked a mile to the south point of OC a couple of years ago, but I really want to get to the point of Brig and Holgate. Problem is finding locations takes a lot of scouting trips, for me anyway. And a 5 mile hike on sand is a long way just to see. And the light often doesn't cooperate, sometimes requiring many early morning trips. I gotta think about how bad I want to get to the point.

 

[46er]

I guess they figure fisherman will not be nature walking on the dunes, and hence no threat to the birds.

The closures only affect beach driving and were implemented to prevent chick mortality. They are mandated by Federal law, not NJ. The early life cycle of these chicks have them staying close to the nest early on which is close to the dune line; parents feed them. As they grow they venture out and head toward the surf line for food. Vehicles leave deep ruts in the sand and the chicks fall into them and can't extricate themselves, become very easy snacks for gulls and other bad stuff, not a natural way to check out. They are very, very small with camo type feathers, virtually invisible. So there is valid reason to the perceived madness.

If you can, try to attend the Brigantine meeting on 2/27. Some good info will be presented.

 

[Jon Holcombe]

Of course the Plover and Knot chicks should be protected. But according to what I've read everyone is banned from driving from April 15 to Sept 15. Then why are fisherman ONLY allowed to drive on the beach the rest of the year, if the plovers aren't being protected at that time? Unless there is some logical reason it seems to be arbitrary to leave the beach to fisherman and nobody else. What if Wharton was closed and only the PPA members were allowed to drive through it?

I appreciate the information, but just wondering if someone knows an actual reason for the policy.

 

[GermanG]

In my opinion, letting only fishermen drive on the beach is a fair compromise, as opposed to letting nobody drive on it. Fishermen often haul much more gear (bait, tackle, ice chests, caught fish, etc.) than can be easily carried long distances. Few of the other user groups do so, and there is plenty of walk-on access along the length of the park. Can you imaging what conditions would degenerate to if anyone was allowed to drive on the beach, for any reason? It would quickly turn onto a ORV park for mudders who have no other areas to legally attempt to reenact the truck commercials.

 

[46er]

I appreciate the information, but just wondering if someone knows an actual reason for the policy.

Don't get confused with the natural area of North Brigantine and the term 'park'. The beaches of IBSP are one of the last examples of undeveloped barrier beaches on the East coast; the north and south natural areas. There are some sections of the north natural area that does not allow any admittance. As German said it is a compromise probably based on their historic use for fishing. If all vehicles were allowed to drive on, there would be no place to swim or fish, as is often the case at South Brig.

From Brigantine Now's web site.

Best suggestion I have is to call the parks your interested in and speak to the park supervisor or contact the NJBBA. Their info at the link. They may have an answer. But I am pretty sure it was this way from the beginning for whatever reasons.

http://njbba.org/

What if Wharton was closed and only the PPA members were allowed to drive through it?

Wharton has roads, the beach doesn't fit that category.

 

[Jon Holcombe]

Best suggestion I have is to call the parks your interested in and speak to the park supervisor or contact the NJBBA.
http://njbba.org/

I will do that since I want the permit. Thanks for the link.

 

[Jon Holcombe]

Andy Grossman of Riptide Bait and Tackle at the point, North End of Brigantine. He says he has friends, artists and photographers who have historically, over decades, had access to the North End.

http://videos.pressofatlanticcity.c...ents-for-beach-driving-in-Brigantine-33562451