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Environment: Beach DrivingBy KRISTEN STERNBERG Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach are two of very few places in the world where people can drive right on the sand! People have been driving there since the turn of the century. The hard-packed sands quickly turned famous when cars became available. The first known car race in Daytona took place in 1902, when a crowd of 50 people watched two local drivers hit speeds of up to 57 miles per hour. By the late 1920s, Daytona had become the site for attempts at the land speed record, with cars racing upon the sand at well over 200 miles per hour. Although auto racers have moved on to special race tracks, the beach still draws tourists from all over the world. Driving on the beach is a major attraction for many visitors, who contribute to our local economy by spending money in the area.
Community support for beach driving, however, has dropped. Bikers and race fans, the city's tourist mainstays in the winter season, still love to pay and cruise up and down the beach, but there's a growing feeling that the town has to change with the times. Local business people are worried that family vacationers, who typically stay longer and spend more money, will choose other, quieter destinations. Others are concerned that if cars are not allowed on the sand, many will not be able to get to the beach because there are few parking areas for beach-goers. One of the biggest concerns about beach driving is environmental. Some feel that driving on the beach is entirely unacceptable. They worry about noise, air and water pollution, and feel that the presence of motor vehicles on the beaches makes the experience less enjoyable. They also worry about wildlife. Volusia County's beaches are nesting places for thousands of endangered sea turtles. Newly hatched turtles already struggle to make their way to the water, and dodging traffic is a real threat. In 1996, two local environmentalists sued the county under the U.S. Federal Endangered Species Act, seeking to have cars banned from all beaches. The county has now been forced to come up with a plan to protect the leatherbacks and other turtles. Beach driving at night has been banned, and a total of 15 miles of shoreline that is considered prime nesting territory has been closed to traffic. (The activists also successfully demanded an ordinance banning lights from along the beach because lights can confuse the tiny turtles. The turtles head for bright lights and are sometimes run over by traffic.) Beach safety is another issue: It is dangerous to mix foot traffic and automobile traffic. The problem is increased when children are playing on the beach near moving vehicles. In addition to concerns about safety, economy and sea turtles and other wildlife, people also worry about beach erosion. While erosion occurs naturally, as wind and waves eat away at the beaches, some feel that cars contribute to erosion because they alter the natural process of things. Take a look at this recent editorial that appeared in The News-Journal about ways to solve the problem of beach erosion. What do you think should be done about this issue? Do you think Volusia County should ban beach driving? Besides declaring some stretches of beach off-limits and banning night driving, the City of Daytona Beach has built a 1,500-car parking garage in order to provide alternatives to parking (and, hopefully, driving) on the beach. It's not yet clear whether the parking garage has reduced the number of beach drivers, though. It's a difficult process to try to please everyone--from those who enjoy the fun, convenience and novelty of driving right on the sand to those who want to use the beach without worrying about traffic, preserve its natural character and, perhaps, give the wildlife a break! Try these interesting activities using The Daytona Beach News-Journal1. Will the weekend bring good weather conditions for the beach? Check today's News-Journal to find the forecast. Based upon the information you find, try to predict air and ocean temperatures, along with surf conditions, for this coming Saturday and Sunday. If possible, arrange for a weekend beach outing with friends or family. Be sure to keep track of how accurate your predictions were. (Sunshine State Standards: MA.D.1.2.1, MA.E.1.2.3, MA.E.2.2.2, MA.E.3.2.1, MA.E.3.2.2, SC.A.1.2.1, SC.H.1.2.2, SC.H.2.2.1)
2. What should you take along for a day at the beach? Use The News-Journal to find and clip items you think would make for a safe and fun day at the beach. (Ads might be a good place to start your search.) Create a half-and-half collage by labeling one half "Beach Safety" and the other half "Beach Fun." Glue or paste your clippings onto a piece of poster board and display your collage so that others may learn. (Sunshine State Standards: LA.A.2.2.8, LA.C.2.2.2, HE.B.1.2.1, HE.B.1.2.2, PE.B.2.2.1) 3. Beaches along the eastern coast of North America are formed by the Atlantic Ocean, which extends from northern Canada along the U.S. and past the tip of South America. Several thousand miles wide, it reaches Europe's and Africa's western coasts. Locate on a world map all of the countries that the Atlantic touches. Then, check The News-Journal routinely for news about each of those countries. Keep track until you have a story about every one of the countries. What issues do they share? In what ways are they alike or different? (Sunshine State Standards: LA.A.2.2.5, LA.A.2.2.8. SS.B.1.2.1, SS.B.1.2.2, SS.B.1.2.5) 4. The cars and other vehicles you might see driving on the beach all cost money to buy, although they vary in price. Search The News-Journal for advertisements for new and used vehicles. Choose eight ads and find the average cost. What is the difference between the highest and lowest advertised prices? Which car would you choose, and why? Try to find out what effect beach driving has on vehicles. Think about the cost of the cars and the cost of the possible damage caused to them by sand and surf. Share your information with your parents or friends. (Sunshine State Standards: LA.C.1.2.3, MA.A.1.2.2, MA.A.1.2.3, MA.A.3.2.2, MA.A.3.2.3, SS.D.1.2.1) 5. A day at the beach is just one of many great, outdoor activities available to most residents of Central Florida. How many other activities can you find? Check The News-Journal's "Master Calendar or " "Go-Do" section, or go online to "The Oh! Zone" pages at www.nieworld.com for listings of outdoor attractions and events. Try to attend one with a friend. (Sunshine State Standards: LA.A.2.2.5, LA.C.1.2.2) A copy of Florida's Sunshine State Standards can be found at intech2000.miamisci.org/. Check out these links to learn more
Take a look at current surf conditions at this one of many sites featuring a live camera aimed at the beach. www.earthcam.com/usa/florida/daytona/ Many historic auto races took place at Daytona Beach, where drivers set--and broke--world records. In fact, area beaches are known as the "Birthplace of Speed," because the hard-packed sand found there was found to be ideal for racing cars. Early auto racing gave rise to NASCAR: Daytona USA is the official attraction of NASCAR. You'll find tons of fun activities and interesting information at the attraction's web site. www.daytonausa.com/ Volusia County's ECHO tourism program highlights Ecological, Cultural, Historic and Outdoor (ECHO) activities. Visit the web site for some great ideas for things to do in the area. echotourism.com/default.htm Daytona Beach is considered by many to be "the world's most famous beach." How does it compare to other beaches? Check out some famous beaches worldwide. www.beachcomber.com/guides.html#world Some entertain themselves at the beach by building sand castles. Visit this site to view sand castles and sculptures of all kinds, from Pooh Bear to Santa Claus! members.aol.com/beachbuddy/sandsculpture.htm The Newspaper Association of America's web site contains links to many newspapers in the U.S. and around the world, which may contain additional news stories about this topic. To access the newspapers at the site, select a state. Click on the "Internationals" button to view choices from other countries. The Daytona Beach News-Journal NIE Program, published April 15, 2002 |
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