The People of the Beach

Turtle patrollers began searching for nesting Kemp's ridley sea turtles along the beaches of the Padre Island Nat'l Seashore on April 01, 2007. The patrollers utilize ATVs to cover every foot of beach many times daily throughout the nesting season which runs April through mid-July. The Kemp's ridley is the only sea turtle that nests during daylight and it is this patrolling effort that enables biologists to obtain the much needed data to boost the recovery of this seriously endangered species. The driving conditions the patrollers must negotiate are often horrible with mounds of sargassum stacked along the water line and deep ruts and soft sand elsewhere. It is a very physically and mentally demanding job and requires unusually high levels of both concentration and dedication.

At 3:15pm on April 03 2007, patroller Marina Giggleman was killed while working 21 miles south of the pavement on PINS. Apparently her ATV flipped in deep ruts and landed on her. Marina was in her second year as a member of the patrol team and leaves a husband and a 14 year old son behind, she was 46 years old. She was also a director of the Coastal Bend Bays Foundation. Marina will be remembered as always quick with a smile and absolutely committed to the well-being of the natural world. Everyone at PINS and especially her co-workers in the Kemp's Ridley Recovery Program are devastated by this tragic loss. Our deepest sympathies go out to Marina's family, co-workers and associates.

At some point in my life PINS ceased to be simply the place I went to fish, work, and get away from urban life. It became my home spiritually and mentally. It became the place I choose to be whenever possible and all the inhabitants there became my family, all of its creatures as well as the other beach fishers.

The long term beach fishers constitute a culture unlike any other group of anglers I've ever met and I have always felt the greatest sense of pride in being a part of this "extended family" group. They take twice as long to travel the beach as is actually necessary because they lose so much time stopping and visiting with other campers and fishers along their route. It is the habit of long-term beach fishers to freely and willing exchange accurate and helpful information, thereby showing consideration and concern for their peers.

While there is also a tremendous number of occasional fishers and always a stream of newcomers, the core of this "extended family group" remain and the newcomers will become assimilated if they fish the area long enough and make an effort to join the family. Chief Ranger, Randy Larson, has mentioned several times that in his long career with the Nat'l Park Service he has never experienced the unbridled and unparalleled love and concern for the well-being of any park that he sees exhibited by the users of PINS.

At the same time as I am aware of this positive "family" thing, I have also been aware of a lesser but undeniable ongoing negative situation. I call it the "us" and "them" division between parts of the user group and the National Park Service. Some of it can likely be traced to the fact that there are beach users who were going there before it was ever declared a National Seashore and they resent the rules and changes that came with National Park status, kind of like the "big brother is watching" syndrome. These folks fear the loss of historic privileges under federal regulation.

I have done my utmost to destroy this division and to pave the way for more positive relations for the past 18 years. I continue to hold hope that each group will eventually see all others as comrades in arms. And I do not see it as far-fetched either, for when you get right down to the bottom line here, as the main goal of these longer term beach users and the Park Service is actually one and the same the well-being of the resource and all of its inhabitants. The division is most unfortunate and counterproductive. I have always maintained that the future usage of PINS depends more upon all user groups being allied with and assisting the National Park Service than anything else.

The Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle Recovery program began in 1978. Contrary to some reports, this is a natural and traditional nesting area for these turtles and I personally saw them nesting on numerous occasions before the program ever existed. The program has 15 people on staff during nesting season and 140 volunteers aiding in the effort. Most of the volunteer's efforts are focused north of the 4-wheel drive area. They need our help and the turtles need our help if they are to survive. We MUST accept the responsibility of slowing our travel speeds during nesting season.

These nesting female turtles are the same color as the wet sand and thusly can be extremely difficult to see and are impossible to see at excessive speeds. Be observant, watch for and report turtle sightings or tracks immediately; if possible, mark and guard nest sites until a Turtle Patroller can reach the location. Call 361-949-8173 ext. 226 or 1-866-TURTLE-5 to report sightings. Please invest every effort to avoid disturbing tracks or nesting turtles, and if possible photograph the turtle and look for and record any visible tag numbers on the shell or flippers. Our support is needed more this year than ever before as the loss of Marina Giggleman will obviously impact the program.

As a note of caution, I would like to advise readers that the Turtle Patrollers do not have rear view mirrors on their ATVs and the nature of their work can often occupy 100% of their attention. There is also the ever-present wind on PINS that can muffle nearly any sound. Very often beach drivers will get dangerously close to patrolling ATVs without the patrollers being aware of their presence. As such, the responsibility for their safety is in our hands and we should remain constantly aware and give them plenty room. An ATV is not as stable as a 4-wheel drive truck or SUV and they can change course suddenly into the path of a rapidly approaching vehicle.

It's a simple fact of life that the wonders of the Texas beaches can attract inconsiderate, uncaring and even lawless individuals as well as the multitudes of good ones. Enforcement personnel on PINS are very low in number and they need us to report violators if they are to keep our beaches safe. Report unsafe speed, dangerous driving, driving in the dunes, or any unsafe or unlawful acts immediately to 361-949-8173 ext. 237 or 0. Neighborhood watches are extremely successful across the nation; let's adopt a neighborhood watch attitude towards the well-being of our beaches and their continued use. If you can't get through to report violators flag me down and I'll call them in.

As E.J. mentioned in his editor's column last month we are beginning a column on birds. The goal is to introduce common bird species encountered regularly by our readers and all Texas saltwater fishers. This is offered from the perspective of anglers, in layman's terms, so that our readers can gain a better appreciation for the role of these species within the eco-systems of our bays and beaches. Your interest and acceptance of the column will determine its future in this publication. We are kind of "shootin' from the hip" on this one so bear with us and feel free to comment.

Sargassum has clobbered surf fishing, nearly bringing it to a standstill for the past month and I have taken a part-time position as an Audubon Warden in the Upper Laguna Madre. The original intention of the column will be to concentrate on a particular species or family of birds but working in the field this past week with Audubon has made me acutely aware of a subject that requires and deserves this first month's column much more. Hope you find it useful and enjoyable and by all means let us know what you think!

Be Careful, Be Courteous, Be Kind – Capt. Billy L. Sandifer