THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, December 20, 1995 TAG: 9512200400
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY ANNE SAITA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CURRITUCK LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
Rough rip tides and huge swells are generally good news for hard-core surfers, who live for seas that swimmers fear.
And in an attempt to make big waves good news again, Outer Banks surfers who have learned that a ``No Swimming'' ordinance along Corolla beaches includes them are asking Currituck County commissioners for an exemption.
``These are public trust waters. The ocean is for everyone to enjoy,'' said Brant Wise, national chairman of the Surfrider Foundation, at Monday night's Board of Commissioners meeting in Currituck.
Wise and two other Outer Banks surfers tried to persuade county officials to exclude experienced surfers from a new ordinance that calls for possible fines or jail time for people who enter ocean waters when a red warning flag is raised.
The Currituck County regulation was enacted, in part, because of the drownings this summer of two Corolla tourists who ignored warnings to stay out of the heavy surf.
``The big thing I see is people need to start being responsible for their own actions,'' Wise said.
Most experienced surfers, he said, are skilled at handling strong rip tides, unlike many tourists new to the sport. In fact, he added, surfers have sometimes helped save drowning victims.
``For a county to adopt an image of being a non-surfer community is a baaaad move,'' said Gary Smith, owner of Corolla Surf Shop.
Smith said the surfing industry is big on the Outer Banks, noting that a competitor with a surf shop in Virginia Beach and the Outer Banks has done $120 million in business.
``I support the ordinance because I've seen people do some stupid things in the water,'' Smith said. But he also believes his business and others would suffer if able surfers are excluded from the beach during heavy surf.
Wise quoted developer Bob DeGabrielle, who wrote in a letter that banning surfers during heavy surf was like prohibiting sunbathing when the sun is out or fishing when the fish are running.
``We cannot legislate to save everyone from themselves,'' said Paul O'Neal, who represents the Corolla area and had suggested a surfer exemption earlier.
``I personally feel they should be exempted. But I do not believe there should be anyone out there without a leash,'' he said.
Others had a different response.
Said Eldon Miller Jr., chairman of the board: ``It is up to us to make sure that all people that go into the water are safe.''
``We're talking about bad surf conditions, and should anybody be out there,'' said County Manager Bill Richardson. ``If it's dangerous, it's dangerous.''
Wise said surfers float on the water, which allows them more control than swimmers whose bodies are immersed in swirling currents. The 5- or 6-foot lead most wear also serves as a safety device should they be thrown from their boards.
The commissioners agreed to form a committee of Surfrider Foundation and Corolla Fire & Rescue Squad members. A report is expected at the Jan. 16 meeting.
``Let's see if we can come up with a compromise,'' Commissioner Owen Etheridge said. by CNB