Any updates? thanks
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Any updates? thanks
I haven't heard of any closures. More info needed
I'm happy to let you guys know that there's a new Ranger/enforcement officer stationed there, and this guy is great! He came up to us, asked us how the fishin was, was very pleasant, but all business. I'm not going into details because I don't want to make it easier for poachers, but this guy did a very thorough search of the vehicle for contraband, short fish.
He didn't just take our word for it whether we were fishin or not, or whether we caught or not. He did the search anyway, and I was glad to have him do it. He was all business. There are no shades of grey for this guy, you either comply with the law, or you're getting a ticket. :clapping::clapping:
He told us he wrote up 7 separate tickets for short fluke that evening, and is beginning to have a record amount of citations written in the short time he's been there.
His name is Keith. I told him a lot of guys complain privately to me, and don't want to get involved because they feel nothing will be done.
He encouraged me, or anyone else, to call dispatch when you see violations. Don't confront the people doing it, just document it if you can, description of people and their vehicle, and put that call in. (732) 872-5900.
If he's workin that night, he'll be on it right away. :thumbsup::thumbsup:
A little about this guy:
He's a young kid (to me) :D, but deadly serious about his job and the responsibilities it entails. He fishes too, and has always complied with the law. He has heard all the excuses in the book, don't mistake his youth for niavete, hes sharp as they come.
Glad to have met ya Keith. :HappyWave: Hope you get into some big fish on your time off, and I wanted to say for me, and some others who aren't as vocal as I am, that meeting you was a great thing, I hope you get promoted for all your good work, you definitely deserve it. :thumbsup:
For anyone reading this who wants some more enforcement #,s they're listed at the stickies at the top of the page for each regional forum. Here's the NJ ones, make that call if you see something happening. Witnessing it, and then ranting about on the internet without calling, solves nothing. :don't know why:
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=45
Make the call, guys, it will be taken care of. Thanks!
You said he checked your vehicle, does he know about the guys burying the fish in the sand, and marking them with sticks or something else so they can grab them up before they leave?
I think it is great that Sandy Hook is stopping the people and checking the vehicles. I get so sick and tired of fishermen getting away with crap. We should all follow the regulations, it will help preserve the fish for the future.
That's good to hear, Dark.:thumbsup:
Most excellent news. Now they need to put signs up in Spanish, Chinese, and Russian.:D
I'm glad this guy lost his rights. I see how they are fixing things up, and felt it would bring too much traffic into the park.http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...ons/icon13.gif
http://www.app.com/article/20090812/...71/1004/NEWS01
National Park Service cancels lease with Sandy Hook Redeveloper
SANDY HOOK — For more than five years, James Wassel held a lease in his hands that gave him permission to redevelop 33 buildings on Fort Hancock. On Wednesday, the National Park Service took it away from him.
After spending several weeks reviewing a set of financial documents submitted in March by Wassel's company, Sandy Hook Partners, the National Park Service determined the proposal was insufficient to meet the purposes and requirements of the 60-year lease, said Brian Feeney, a government spokesman.
"It is unfortunate that Sandy Hook Partners was unable to secure a financing package that would preserve dozens of important historic structures at Fort Hancock," said Dennis R. Reidenbach, the National Park Service's northeast regional director, in a release.
Several of the project's opponents, who felt it would overcommercialize the Hook and set a precedent for private use of public lands, expressed satisfaction with the development.
"Hallelujah!" said Peter O'Such, a Fair Haven resident who closely followed the project's development for years. "For the National Park Service to say "no mas,' to quote Roberto Duran, is a milestone."
James and Judith Stanley Coleman, who headed the opposition group Save Sandy Hook, could not be reached for comment. Through a woman who answered the phone at their Middletown home, they said they felt "justified that our efforts were not in vain."
Wassel has 10 days to appeal the decision to a third-party arbitrator, Feeney said.
Wassel said he was surprised by the National Park Service's decision. He is weighing whether to appeal.
"You never expect something like this to happen," Wassel said.
Wassel proposed a mix of commercial, community, conference and educational uses for Fort Hancock, a weather-beaten hamlet of former military buildings near the tip of Sandy Hook.
For years, Wassel's detractors questioned whether he could obtain the financing for the project. After signing the lease, the National Park Service granted him six time extensions to provide the proof.
Wassel blamed the lack of financing on a drawn-out federal court case filed by Save Sandy Hook. Once Wassel prevailed in the case in December 2008, the National Park Service gave him 90 days to submit financial documents for the project's first phase.
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In 2007, Wassel signed a separate 60-year lease for three Fort Hancock buildings — the Post Chapel, the Post Theater and a third structure — he went on to rehabilitate, said Dave Avrin, Sandy Hook's superintendent.
The 2007 lease for the three buildings, which were part of the original lease, remains in effect, Avrin said.
Despite losing his rights to the other 33 buildings, Wassel said he believes he can continue leasing the three buildings and remain financially viable.
"Our plan is to continue to operate them," Wassel said.
The National Park Service now needs to determine how to move forward with rehabilitating the buildings, a process that is only beginning, Avrin said.
"These buildings need some TLC big time," Avrin said.
Rep. Frank J. Pallone Jr., D-N.J., who is opposed to private developers leasing buildings in public parks, said he has been assured by federal officials that the National Park Service will be open to a process that would allow public entities and nonprofit organizations to play a larger role in Fort Hancock's redevelopment.
"This is a tremendous opportunity for the state, the federal government, local universities and other public entities to become engaged in the restoration of Fort Hancock," Pallone said. "It is important that any redevelopment plan does not include commercialization of our national park."
I agree with you. We do not need it commercialized or fishing access would be worse than it is today.
The problem as I see it whenever I go there is there are a lot of buildings that need repair. So if private people won't do it, and the NPS can't seem to afford it, who will do it? IMO this guy had a golden opportunity to make money and make things better. I heard all his financing was smoke and mirrors. He never had the financial reach to complete the deal, and someone should have figured that out at the start before he wasted the park service's time.
I followed this project the past few years as a concerned user of public access. I am positive that if this lease was approved in it's entirety, that eventually our access to these fishing grounds would have definitely been curtailed to extinction. I'm sure that they would not have let us drive around the park at all hours of the dark with commercial establishmentrs around. Public land that belongs to the public should remain that way and not be privatized, my strong opinion.
Spill at sewage plant could close Sandy Hook beach
http://www.app.com/article/20090825/...25137/1001/rss
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS • August 25, 2009http://www.app.com/gcicommonfiles/sr..._whatsthis.gif
SANDY HOOK — A chlorine spill at a sewage treatment plant on the New Jersey shore could temporarily close part of the beach at Sandy Hook.
The spill occurred Tuesday afternoon in a plant operated by the National Parks Service that serves the entire peninsula.
Parks service spokesman Brian Feeney says about 20 gallons of chlorine spilled and created a cloud of gas. Employees were evacuated and no injuries were reported.
Beachgoers at Gunnison Beach were evacuated, and Feeney said if the treatment plant is not back online by Wednesday the beach may have to be closed.
Gunnison? That could be a good or bad experience for the officers called in to do the evacuation.:wow::lookhappy: :eek:Quote:
Originally Posted by clamchucker
I heard the folks that hang at Gunnison tend to be more skewed toward the 50 y.o age group rather than the 20 y.o age group, Steve, with the alternate lifestyler males being the predominant group...not that there's anything wrong with that!:scared: If they asked me to do that detail I would have to ask for combat pay.
Heads up for you guys who fish Sandy Hook.
I was BSing with a Park Ranger today asking him if many guys were fishing there at night. In our conversation he mentioned they changed it up for night fishing. You now have to stop at the booth at the front. They shifted the process. Stop, check in with your pass, and then continue on.
He said they will be putting up signs so that guys will know.
Thanks for the heads up steve.
Be just like island beach now. Except you don't have to pay $200.:cool:
Big changes down the road. I don't think I will like any of them.
SANDY HOOK ? There are changes coming to Sandy Hook. Well, maybe.
The National Park Service has hatched a trio of plans to give the Gateway National Recreation Area a makeover over the next two decades. The three visions for the popular summertime destination would potentially add new amenities by leasing public buildings for restaurants and lodging, adding campsites and increasing beach access.
But a fourth plan is also in the mix ? leave it the way it is.
Parks officials have been developing the plans since 2009, but Gateway National Recreation Area spokesman John Harlan Warren said change isn?t essential.
"We?re trying to bring as many people in the public into this discussion as possible. We want to know: What makes this park important?" Warren said. "If at the end of the day they say, ?Hey, don?t change,? then perhaps we don?t."
The three alternatives are part of a broad effort to map the future of the 26,000-acre park, which also includes space in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island.
The plans would focus on three goals: improving recreation and visitor services, historical and environment conservation and bolstering aquatic elements of the park.
The first plan, "Discovering Gateway," is likely to be the most controversial. Under this proposal, several buildings in the Sandy Hook portion of the park would be earmarked for "a wide variety of potential reuses, ranging from lodging to restaurants, conference space and offices."
Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, said the right balance needs to be struck between public and privately operated aspects of the park.
"Our biggest concern is if you lease out all of the buildings you begin restricting access to the public ?," he said. "Not everyone can afford to go to Yosemite (National Park), but we can go to Sandy Hook."
A second plan would drive resources toward restoring the park?s historic buildings, such as Fort Hancock, and bolstering conservation efforts for Sandy Hook?s flora and fauna.
"One of the lovely things about Sandy Hook is it was never developed commercially; it?s surprisingly undisturbed," Warren said. "Of course, it has a strong military history and a very interesting military history, so those things would get top priority under this alternative."
The third plan would zero in on the water surrounding the small spit of land. Ferry service would be expanded, new water recreation areas added and water trails would be created while beach conservation efforts would be stepped up.
.
They had a meeting yesterday.
The National Park Service will conduct an informal beach meet-up from 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesday in Sandy Hook for the public to take a closer look at the proposals and ask questions. Details of the plans are also available online at nps.gov/gate.
New Jersey's ocean, bays, rivers, beaches, shores, and waterfronts belong to us all under the PUBLIC TRUST DOCTRINE.
NJDEP can't take them away, but a complacent public can give them up.
Fight for what is rightfully ours
Quote:
Originally Posted by paco33
Me neither paco. Change is not good when the govt puts it in terms like this. I agree the historic buildings should be kept up.They really need to find a way to fund that. Its part of our history. There was a guy a few years ago who was going to do that, wonder what happened to him?
I don't know how bad it is but thought maybe we could post some updates in here as any of you guys hear about them.
Great idea.
Nothing official, but from what I have read online there has been nothing to indicate that it will be open again this year.
And everything on the internet is true.....:kooky:
Called the ranger station yesterday, park is closed til further notice. The ranger told me to keep calling for updates.
Pic on Nov 1st
https://cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php...serialNumber=2
Here is a link to some pics of the Hook.
The Courier Post online
http://www.courierpostonline.com/app...1030043&Ref=PH
A sample of whats there:
http://cmsimg.courierpostonline.com/...&Maxh=465&q=60
Monty, looks like that area won't be open for quite awhile. Who knows what has been unearthed there.
^ Maybe some bombs and ordnance. This was posted today by a Sandy Hook ranger -
"The Hook is NOT open to the public, including fishers, and will not be for some time. Not only is there no electricity or water or sewage services, but the hurricane has left several safety issues we must address first before we can reopen anything. We also want to have a sweep of the beaches for unexploded ordnances, which wash up after major storms like this one in former Army bases like Fort Hancock."
How did they loose bombs?Quote:
Originally Posted by buckethead
Where do they wash up from?
This just sounds unbelievably stupid to me.
Irresponsible.
I don't know the complete history of Sandy Hook, Monty but it was a fort for a long time. (Fort Hancock?) They did use it as an observation post during the war, I think it might of been WWII? With all the sand washed away maybe they meant to say that some bombs were uncovered. I know it sounds lame but the last thing I would want to do would bring my family there to the beach for a sunny happy day and get our feet blown up by an old grenade or something like that, no?
I just find it unbelievable that they buried bombs or grenades or whatever other explosive devices there were.Quote:
Originally Posted by bababooey
Its great they "sweep of the beaches for unexploded ordnances", they better if there is a chance they are there.
^ They did a lot of bad stuff 50 years ago. you should see some of the woods back by whale beach in laurence harbor. They dumped all sorts of toxic stuff into it until the 70s. I think that is one of the reasons it is now on the epa list for cleanups. Its not the lead, its also some heavy metals like chromium and mercury. Nasty stuff. Sandy Hook was probably no different.
Don't forget all the pirate booty and gold. Legendary.Quote:
Originally Posted by Monty
Pirate booty?Quote:
Originally Posted by CharlieTuna
Attachment 15829
^^Yeah baby I'd hit that!:drool:
If you guys and gals want to get a good perspective of what the hook looks like after Sandy check it out on google earth. remember to use the timeline tool. There is one big sandbar almost the whole length of the beach front, amazing.
By MaryAnn Spoto/The Star-Ledger
on December 03, 2012 at 7:30 AM, updated December 03, 2012 at 3:58 PM
Traffic cones block the entrances from Route 36 into the Gateway National Recreation Area, where a small sign announces the park is closed.
Occasionally, curious passersby venture beyond the yellow cones to sneak photographs, and Park Service officials usually indulge them for a few minutes before shooing them away.
That may be the best look people get at the popular landmark in Sandy Hook for some time. Hurricane Sandy left so much damage in its wake that National Park Service Officials say they are uncertain whether the recreational area visited by more than two million people each year will open next summer.
"It’s a day-by-day thing as we evaluate it," Pete McCarthy, assistant park superintendent, said one day last week. "We’re going to try to open for summer."
The 7-mile-long peninsula, dotted with historical buildings and lined with long beaches, picnic areas and multi-use paths took an especially savage blow because it is bordered by the Shrewsbury River and Raritan Bay to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east.
"The problem was, we basically were attacked on two sides," McCarthy said.
A month after the storm deluged the narrow peninsula with a tidal surge more than 13 feet at mean high tide, crews are still clearing parking lots blanketed with sand. The waves may have been even higher, he said, because that measurement was taken just before the gauge broke.
Of more immediate concern to park officials are unexploded ordnance that may have been exposed when so much sand washed off the beaches, once an Army testing ground for ammunition.
Pete McCarthy, the unit coordinator of Sandy Hook for the National Park Service, said he's not sure the popular beach and recreation area in Monmouth County will reopen in time for the 2013 summer season.Andrew Mills/The Star-Ledger
Four of the park’s six concession stands were damaged by floodwaters up to six feet high. So were the fire department, ranger station and theater.
Ten days after the storm, parts of Sandy Hook still had about 2 ½ feet of standing water, and weeks after the storm, crews were still pumping sand and water out of the sewage stations.
The seven-mile-long macadam and cement path popular with runners, bicyclists and rollerbladers was heaved or washed out in at least seven places because of severe erosion.
Workers are still checking the pipes that carry water throughout the peninsula for damage, and the sewage treatment is also being evaluated. McCarthy said that without a functioning sewage system, they would not even try to turn the water back on — even if the pipes weren’t damaged.
At what is known as Area C, where summer concerts are held, the 40-foot-by-16-foot stage is washed away.
"We’re still looking for it," McCarthy said. "We’re still looking for a lot of things."
Linda Slater, a spokeswoman for the National Park Service, said 500 people were assessing the damage to the beaches, historic buildings and other cultural resources.
In the end, Slater said, Sandy Hook would be among the other national parks competing for scarce federal resources to rebuild. For now, she added, there is no damage estimate.
"There’s a list of things that need to be done," she said. "We have to prioritize what needs to be done."
When park officials begin to describe the damage, they almost doesn’t know where to begin.
The ferry dock at the northern end of the peninsula was picked up by the surge and almost folded in half. At the entrance is a huge crater where there once was sand, exposing pipes.
Once the storm passed, it took crews — along with help from the U.S. Coast Guard — five days to push the mountains of sand to the side of the roads to make them passable.
Drifts of sand a quarter-mile long and nearly six-feet high ran intermittently for more than 3 miles on the main roads, McCarthy said.
When the roads were finally passable, crews came in to stabilize some of the buildings, including those on Officers Row, where porches of the former military homes sustained varying degrees of damage, from minor sagging to complete washouts.
Despite the vast amount of destruction, McCarthy remains hopeful.
"The one thing we’ve taken from this is it’s the people’s park," he said. "It still will be Gateway. It still will be Sandy Hook, but it might be changed a little."
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/201..._closed_n.html
Thanks, as always, for the updates, NJDiver......:HappyWave:
That is part of the problem. As far as prioritizing goes. Sandy Hook is lower on the list than some of the other federal parks. I don't see much happening until late next year.Quote:
Originally Posted by njdiver
I'm pretty devastated about this news about the Hook. One of the reasons I started fishing there in the 80's was because of the unfriendly and sometimes hostile situations I've come across on and in a lot of the other Monmouth Co. shore towns, no parking, private property keep out, no access, no beach access after dark, head on parking only. And not to mention having to possibly getting your vehicle broken into while you are fishing or worse getting mugged (almost happened to me once in Asbury Park in the days of the flume) If it were not for a 4 foot gaff I use to carry when jetty hopping I might not even be writing this. Of course I was a lot younger then, but you get my drift. Sandyhook has always been a special place for me even though it might not be as productive as other places. What a drag. Oh well, like every other bad thing that happens I will just move on.
I agree Mike, Sandy Hook was the safest place to be at 2am. Never had to worry about your car being broken into. Although do you remember the burned out car that was in the 2nd parking lot about 6 years ago? It sat there for a whole winter before they got rid of it. Other than that I have never had any crime worries when fishing Sandy Hook. Now the back bay, places like Keansburg and Laurence Harbor, those are different stories. You can't keep anything nice showing in your truck when fishing there or they will take it.