Holes.......
Wow, this is one of my pet peeves, for sure............
Most likely, the same ordinances / rules will eventually be evoked on the Outer Banks of NC, as well as many other places, up and down our beaches, both north and south. As for the Outer Banks, I see grown people, and NOT just kids, all the time, out there with full size shovels, digging these gigantic holes, sometimes as much as 6 - 7 feet deep, or more. I've actually had some of these abandoned holes to cave in, as I walked up, leaving me sitting on the edge. But what do you think happens when these "diggers" (being nice here) get ready to leave the beach - they just leave the hole, thinking it cute or funny. There are actually incidences, where people have had their holes cave in on them, while they were digging, creating desperate situations. Whatever the reasons for this ridiculous digging, so be it, but these are the people that need to be fined, and fined heavily. It's certainly not the metal detectors that are causing the problems.
Possibly, the beach patrol, during the course of roving the beaches each day, could stop by any of these major digging projects as they observe them, with a friendly reminder about filling the holes, maybe obtain some positive ID information, etc., and then, when and if, that hole is later discovered abandoned, sock it to 'em. It's just plain inexcusable, inconsiderate, and dangerous, leaving these gigantic holes all up and down the beach.
Just wait till one day, when one of these idiots gets in trouble out in the ocean, and needs help fast. Then what happens when that beach patrol comes tearing down the beach on the four wheelers, to save their sorry butts, but never quite makes it, due to hitting one of these gigantic holes, most likely sustaining serious injury, and thereby preventing the ocean rescue.
Obviously, some people just don't think. But yes, I think they should fine people for this. I think the 12" limit is a bit stringent, but I suppose you've got to draw the "line" somewhere. So be it. Still, IMHO, it's not the metal detectors that are creating the problems resulting in these ordinances - it's the inconsiderate idiots, that visit our beaches every day, the same ones that bury their piles of cans and trash in the sand, and somehow, think that's not littering...go figure......
