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Post by Peter 274 on Feb 4, 2010 11:33:55 GMT -4
Cape Cod National Seashore, Provincetown, MA Off road information line: 508-487-3698, General information line: 508-487-2100, extension 110 Web site: www.nps.gov/cacoThe beach is still closed for the season, special access permits can be obtained at Race Point subject to times & tides, please call ahead first before driving down. Beach Permits will go on sale April 10th at the oversand office, weekly reservations can be made on line at www.nps.gov/caco/upload/ORVregistrationform-2.pdf Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) Permit Fees $50 - 7 Days $150 - Annual For 2009, annual off-road vehicle permits go on sale April 10th. Advance-sale weekly permits are available starting March 1st. The application form for advance sales may be downloaded from the park's Oversand Beach Driving link. Self-contained Recreational Vehicle (SCV) Permit Fees $75 - 7 Days $225 - Annual For 2009, self-contained off-road vehicle permits go on sale April 10th. Advance-sale weekly permits are available starting March 1st. The application form for advance sales may be downloaded from the park's Oversand Beach Driving link. Peter Murray, Race Point Beach Rep.
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Post by Peter 274 on Apr 2, 2010 14:08:36 GMT -4
I had a brief discussion with North District Ranger Craig Thatcher yesterday; he drove the beach from Head of the Meadow all the way to Hatches Harbor. It is of course a typical narrow April beach, but he thought that it looks a lot like last year. Head of the Meadow looks good, Coast Guard looks pretty good, the HMS Somerset is exposed this year about 30 feet of the hull and some of the aft ribs, sunk in 1778 this is one of the few appearances it makes due to shifting sands. Race Point North looks good, looks like there will be a moat again this year between the front and the back section at high tides. The sand spit at hatches is shorter than last year but the sand is still shifting. The access points look good, the pole line route is flooded at the sugar bowl so it will remain closed for awhile. Herring cove picked up about ten feet of sand so there’s only about an eight foot drop now at the bathhouse. There are a bunch of whales right off the beach, always a great thing to witness. There will be some changes this year to the Plover protection which has to do with dogs in the nesting areas, more details to follow. Stickers go on sale April 10th Peter
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Post by Peter 274 on Apr 16, 2010 10:03:43 GMT -4
New map posted www.nps.gov/caco/upload/ORVMap%204_15_10_2009.JPGAlso: New for 2010: Pets will not be allowed out of ORV's in front of active piping plover nests this season. These areas will be signed. ORV users with pets, will be allowed to drive by active plover nests with eggs to access other areas of the beach where pets are permitted.
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Post by Peter 274 on May 19, 2010 7:32:13 GMT -4
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Post by Peter 274 on May 19, 2010 7:34:30 GMT -4
Off road information line: 508-487-3698, General information line: 508-487-2100, extension 110 Web site: www.nps.gov/caco/cape-cod-national-seashore-oversand-beach-driving.htmMay ReportThe beach is open and it was wonderful to be there for our 2010 spring project, we had a great turnout and the park was quite pleased with the result. Campers we allowed to stay on the beach for both Friday and Saturday as there wasn’t enough room out on Nauset for us Saturday night, a very special thanks to Craig Thatcher for his handling of this situation. The beach is open from Hatches Harbor to about 1/10 of a mile past the Mission Bell, where there is a huge cut right into the primary dune. The wreck of the HMS Somerset is again buried in the sand. Both SCV areas look good, a lot of work was done on the trail to the backside so it looks good for the season. The plovers are busy and a couple of nests have eggs already, plans to poison crows as predator control have been put on hold, but could come back in the future. Chris Anderson will be joining us at Spring Meet this year and Chuck and Janet will be at Spring Meet on Sunday morning to sell stickers. Thanks to everyone that came out for the project and thanks to Bill Correia for cooking the dogs and all the wonderful extras. See you out on the beach! Peter
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Post by Peter 274 on May 27, 2010 7:19:43 GMT -4
Latest map: www.nps.gov/caco/upload/ORVMap%205_25_10.JPGHatches Harbor closed at the crossover (birds hatching), also seasonal end of driving across bathing beach. There is a nest 1/10 of a mile south of the Race point South Access trail expected to hatch as early as this weekend (5/31-6/4 hatch window) Also another nest just south of the Race point North access that is around the same age. Hopefully we can get in a good weekend before the hatching begins, but expect closures soon. See you out there, Peter
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Post by Peter 274 on Jun 1, 2010 8:28:45 GMT -4
Latest Map, Hatches and the pole line route already closed, Race Point North and South have nests scheduled to hatch this week, there is also a nest on the High Head Access Point, so we could be looking at total closure, cross your fingers that this weeks storms don't wipe out any established nests. With a little luck we could be back on in early July. www.nps.gov/caco/upload/ORVMap%205_30_10.JPG
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Post by Peter 274 on Jun 7, 2010 7:55:04 GMT -4
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Post by Peter 274 on Jun 9, 2010 9:15:30 GMT -4
All of Race Point North is closed and as of this morning Race Point South is down to 2/10 of a mile, but still has a SCV area, hopefully until the 14th, right now it looks like we will be at or near total closure by the 21st, but the birds in Hatches Harbor should fledge by the 30th and open the pole line route to the crossover and maybe back ½ mile on the front beach, we may be able to put SCV’s out there again this year with any luck, keep your fingers crossed for the holiday week, we could get lucky.
Peter
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Post by Peter 274 on Jun 11, 2010 12:00:35 GMT -4
Race Point South ORV corridor is open 0.2 miles with half the ORV corridor set up as a SCV area. If someone has a dog they can use the southern end of the SCV area to park.
Coast Guard night fishing area has 0.3 miles for 24-hour ORV use and the remaining 1.6 miles for use between 6:00 PM and 7:00 AM for night fishing. The north and south side of the day use area is wider than the middle portion at this time. Both Race Point South and Coast Guard accesses are about the same to navigate.
SCV's will be able to camp in the Race Point Beach parking lot third tear if they don't want to go onto Race Point South. The fees are being waved at the North District Beaches for vehicles that have a current ORV or SCV permit. These include Herring Cove, Race Point and Head of the Meadow Beaches. The driver should inform the fee attendant that they have a sticker on the vehicle and they will be admitted without charge.
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Post by Peter 274 on Jun 14, 2010 7:46:54 GMT -4
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Post by Peter 274 on Jun 22, 2010 15:03:29 GMT -4
Hatches Harbor is open to ORV's and the crossover out to the front about 1/10th to the right and all around the front back to Hatches, I'd guess about 8/10 of a mile total. No SCV areas on the beach yet, and it could be a while, but things change quick sometimes. Race Point North and South look like end of July or beginning of August. High Head maybe by mid July. www.nps.gov/caco/upload/ORVMap%206_22_10.JPG
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Post by Peter 274 on Jun 22, 2010 15:12:06 GMT -4
As of right now the third tier of the Race Point Parking lot is the only SCV area, that will change on the 30th to the Visitors Center, maybe sooner if the 3rd tier gets too full, but not yet.
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Post by Peter 274 on Jul 1, 2010 7:05:06 GMT -4
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Post by Peter 274 on Jul 8, 2010 18:35:46 GMT -4
High Head will open tomorrow 7/9/10 mid to late afternoon after the grader and loader groom the trail and hill for easier access. looks like we should get 7/10 of a mile going south and have plenty of room for SCV's. There is some mung and cabbage in the water as well as a ton of seals just to the north.
Peter
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