By DOTTY NIST
“It was such a beautiful day,” said Dave Rauschkolb.
With a smaller turnout than expected due to bad weather, but undampened enthusiasm, a group of residents walked a large part of the Walton County coastline on June 4 in support of customary use of the beach by the public. The walk, termed “Stand Your Sand,” was the idea of Rauschkolb, a Walton County resident and business owner. A small group of walkers joined him for a 13-mile trek along the coast, from Camp Helen near the county line to Grayton Beach State Park.
Customary use has been a prominent issue in the community, particularly during recent months, with scores of no trespassing and private beach signs put in place by beachfront property owners on the beach, along with items such as ropes and chains put up by the owners to mark property lines.
On June 14, the Walton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) is set to look at a measure that would amend the Walton County Waterways and Beach Activities Ordinance to clearly prohibit signs, rope, chains, and other property markers from remaining on the beach in the evening. The commissioners have also enlisted an attorney to investigate and analyze the county’s options to protect and improve the public’s ability to access and use the dry sandy beach. Those findings are expected to come before the BCC by late summer or early fall.
In a letter appearing in the Herald/Breeze on June 2, Rauschkolb had explained his idea for the walk as “a perfect, peaceful and pristine example of Customary Use.”
Almost 200 people had signed up for the June 4 Stand Your Sand walk, but participation was hampered by dangerous thunderstorms during the morning hours—with the South Walton Fire District responding to lightning strikes at five structures in south Walton County during a one-hour period.
After setting off from Camp Helen a little before 9 a.m., upon encountering rain and lightning, the group of walkers took a pause for breakfast at a restaurant in Rosemary Beach. They took to the beach again a couple of hours later once weather conditions had improved, with others joining as the group proceeded to their Grayton Beach State Park destination, replacing tired walkers who dropped out.
Rauschkolb and other walkers went the whole distance.
“Thanks to all who support the customary use of our beaches. We will all be eagerly watching the Walton County commissioners’ next move to pass the revised beach activities ordinance that will make the beach front homeowners remove the no trespassing/private beach signs,” Rauschkolb commented.
Asked about way the walk had turned out, he said, “I am absolutely very pleased with the outcome. The lightning in the morning was scary for all of us. Considering we had 200 people scheduled to participate, I expect if I do another walk in the fall prior to the county commission’s vote on customary use, we should have more than 200 people show up,” he said, “—and that 13 mile walk was a piece of cake and every step was a real pleasure.”
