Friday, July 22, 2005

Owning the Beach



Along the strip of Ocean Boulevard leading from the south end to Worth Avenue in Palm Beach, there runs a beautiful strip of ocean and deserted beach. A small shoulder on the road allows enough room for a biker to use, but not for anyone to pull over to gaze at this beauty. The owners of the huge shuttered homes across the boulevard own this beach. They guard it well, with fences and padlocked gates, some of the padlocks rusting from lack of use.

In all of my years bicyling along this strip, before I got CFIDS, I never saw a soul on the beach. Later, by car, I've never seen anyone, either.

It's legal to walk on the beach below tide line. No-one can own that. I once had a friend who took that walk, beginning on the northern end, at low tide, and barely making it to the other end as the tide was coming back in to territory owned by the rich.

To own something and let it go so unappreciated...To own something that beautiful and not let anyone use it, even when you don't. To me, that's a crime.

My opinion.

Pris

6 comments:

tammy said...

seconded.

Pris said...

The irony of it is, that when the road washed out some years ago, Palm Beach garnered County funds to help repair it, as well as to build the beach back up.

CSOC said...

That's just wrong.

Pris said...

Hi kiddo
You said it!

Berenice said...

Ooooh...I spy the gateway to my hideaway. Off with the padlock!! Anyone is welcome to call and walk upon my beach retreat. One condition though...you leave footprints on the sand. B xx

Pris said...

You're gonna need a couple of million or more to buy the rights to unlock that gate, though:)