This morning I arrived at 5am to check on the plovers and two young guys were building a fire right next to the Piping Plover sanctuary. I watched from a distance for a moment as they built up the fire, and then they crossed the beach to leave. I called the police to come put out the fire and asked the guys, hey what’s up with the bonfire? Their mysterious response was that they were coming back to add more wood. They left via the footbridge and a few seconds later, the police arrived to extinguish the fire.
Building a fire where children will shortly be running around in the sand is a really, really dumb idea. Not only that, but the PiPl family were super stressed, which is not usually the case during daybreak hours.
At about 5:30, two crows entered the sanctuary, eating garbage that had blown in. The parents were very distracted by the crows. At an opportune moment, when the chicks were on the opposite side of the crows and garbage, I ran into the roped off area and removed the enticing chicken remains, and chased away the crows. Crows and gulls are only on Good Harbor Beach in great numbers because of the garbage left behind. If there were no garbage, there would be no gulls and no crows.
Pre dawn, and pre-arrival of the DPW, with lots of plastic littering the beach, which washes into the ocean each and every night.
Good Morning Gloucester 
😡
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I thought fires were only allowed on Wingaersheek? Too bad cameras can’t be installed to catch the trashy people 😡
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Thank for being there at the right time.
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Makes me so angry!! People treat these precious gifts like garbage. What can we do to better monitor and fix this???
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I think you may have stopped something going on here! Why would they start a fire and then leave? It’s against any logic I know. I’m so glad you were there. I hope the Plover family survive the stress. Thank you all who are watching over these tiny gems!
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No fires allowed on any public beach , wingaersheek included
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My daughter and I picked up an incredible amount of trash from Good Harbor beach this afternoon. It seems worse than ever. The snack bar needs to stop giving straws, they are all over the beach and the clear wrappers too. Thanks for helping our plovers 😎
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Kim, Thx for your observance and speaking up! Totally dangerous from all counts!
Perhaps fees might be raised so trash can be put into barrels & collected, the way Rkpt does. (DPW Truck collecting at Front Beach after hours last night.)Out of towners pay lots to park at Glou beaches & may feel that their fee covers trash removal. Charging more, with trash barrels, might ease that problem. Catching the fire-starters and having them do community service – ex cleaning beaches! would be great!!
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I would imagine it is also posted – You did the right thing KIM….Respect is always a two-Way street and know the rules before you go! Dave
Posted on the Official web site for Gloucester Ma quoted…
“Open Fires Prohibited: Open fires of any type are prohibited on city beaches and Stage Fort Park. Cooking is allowed with either
gas or charcoal grills at Stage For Park only. All hot coals must be deposited in designated containers.”
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Posting the rules on a website is fine — if people happen to want to take the time to look them up. For the rest of the world a few signboards would be good. Maybe they’re already there? I don’t know–I am not a beachgoer, even though I fume when I read how poorly people treat our beaches and how little concern our public policy seems to display.
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Vandalism, which this seems to be and which is inexcusable, sometimes becomes an adventure for young men who have no other real ready path to adventure these days.
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I think instead of posting your anger here, how about we all call the mayor and voice our concern.
Where does the money go to when the city collects all that money for parking anyway?
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Why not call the mayor and voice your concerns, the more calls they get, maybe something will be done.
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