Info on abalone bust...

I remember that post...I'm totally down for that. Anyone have an old beat up hippie bus? Can you imagine 20 divers climbing out of a bus like a bunch of clowns to go diving at Sea Ranch? I love it!

But Plan B should be to get the state to open up more parking at each access point. 4 or 5 spaces per access point is a joke...There should be a public trail that runs along the entire SR coast. To be able to own down to the waterline seems wrong.

                           

I scammed Sea Ranch for years back in the 80's and 90's.  There are so many people out there with passes.  I got booted one time and always went in with some buddy's pass after that.  I don't have that many friends there anymore, but if a couple of families rent a house for the weekend then you get full access everywhere for a couple of car passes.  Or get there early and go with the public access.  There are resident volunteers who watch the water from the cliffs to catch poachers, so mind your manners out there!

But yes it is private property and - sorry to bust with the majority opinion here - if you are taking something from private property you kind of lose your rights to keep it.  And law enforcement has the right to confiscate it.  You gotta work within the system a little bit, sorry.  just my view...    

Sea Ranch was allowed to be developed under the provisions that access be given to the public to enjoy the shoreline and ocean along it's stretch of coast. The small parking areas could possibly be enlarged someday to reflect larger numbers of visitors in our growing state. Obviously no money for that now and no money plus 100% opposition from Sea Ranch HOA = We are happy for the access we've got. I want access to as much of the coast as possible but I also put myself in the homeowner's shoes and would not want Black Point turning into Bolinas. Alot of days driving up to P.A. I wouldn't see any cars in any of those lots but times they are a changin. I personally don't want to drive that far to dive but if they do close parts of Salt Point and leave Sea Ranch open I may try up there. Won't catch me dead on a dead heads bus though.....jim/redyak

From what I understand, the case was dropped, but I was unable to cover it, so I don't have the details.

I am glad to hear the case against those guys was probably dropped.

The reporter's comments were kind of ambiguous.  Not sure if she meant the civil suit against the County was dropped, or if she was referring to the trespassing citation against the Ab'ers.  From my experience, and if I had to guess, both actions would be dropped.  The County doesn't need this kind of bad publicity, and those guys do NOT want to spend the kind of $$ they'll likely have to spend to competently prosecute a civil claim against the County.  I wish they would go for it, not because I'm siding with them or against them.  I really don't have an opinion, but its an issue that looks like it could use an adjudication on the merits.

I want access to as much of the coast as possible but I also put myself in the homeowner's shoes and would not want Black Point turning into Bolinas.

That would never happen...it's still a bit of a hike to get to the water and there isn't as much traffic on that part of the coast for it to become as busy as Bolinas. Salt Point SP has public access and I don't see it turning into Bolinas.

For a bunch of private citizens to be allowed to buy public land all the way down to the water line is a slap in the face to the rest of the public. Even in Baja, there is a 50' buffer of public land between the high tide line and any private property, but the Sea Ranch crowd owns it all, and unfortunately there isn't enough for shoreline in the world for everyone to own a piece of it.

I have zero sympathy for the SR folks getting upset by people parking near their land - they are VERY LUCKY to have property so close to the water. It's too bad they're so unwilling to share it with the public they stole it from.

Hi Yakers:

         I'm just glad I'm not stuck onshore in SR stressing about getting mooned by Divers removing their Wetsuits.
                                                     Sea-ya at VanDamm