How does DNR decide the land and water boundaries of a seawall.
My mom and sister were told by a Fripp Island security officer today that they could not fish from in front of the rocks that comprise the ocean side of the sea wall. They used a crossover provided by the property owners association and were standing in the sand in front of the rocks at dead low tide but were asked to cease their fishing activities and leave.
Who would be able to give us more information on these policies since the security officer insisted he was following SCDNR policies and not the islands.
That is Fripp Island’s policy, not DNR’s. Unless there is a King’s Grant, private property owners own to the mean high water mark. Since Fripp Island is private property, they can tell guests and residents where to fish as long as those person(s) are on Fripp property.
Anyone can access a private island’s beach as long as they stay below the high tide line. Sounds like your people may have trespassed by using the foot bridge. Did they access Fripp by boat? I hear much talk of kings grant but have actually never seen it in action.
Yes…that is definitely NOT DNR’s policy. I wish you would edit your post (in all three places) to that effect. It is Fripp’s policy, and it’s wrong to implicate DNR.
The “Kings Grant” argument is hogwash. Ever-since the King of England claimed ownership, ALL land was conveyed by Kings Grants to favored Subjects (Lord Proprietors) in order to facilitate the population and foster development of the colonies. People who were granted Grants were then allowed and encouraged by the Crown to convey ownership to others as they saw fit, for the same reasons… The Kings Grant crap has been used by owners to keep people off the beaches - but in actuality it has no validity. South Carolina law states that the waters of S.C. to the high water line, are held by the State for its peoples. There was an incident some years ago at Bay Point where the island owner got sued for trying to run someone off the beach. His claim to Kings Grant “privileges” was thrown out. I have been threatened with arrest in a similar situation - until I called their bluff. If it is still available - look in the archives of the Beaufort Gazette 3/23/2002 for an account and explanation of the incident at Bay Point and the Law as viewed by OCRM. If not available - I have a copy you can get.
Fripp Island security was using SCDNR as the reason for their policy. We just want to know where the law is that states it. My family (79 year old mother and her daughter) were using a public access provided by the Fripp Island Property Owners Assoc that we also pay dues. They really felt like they had been bullied by someone with a badge. we just want to determine the law here.
We are loaded for bear now. Dont take that the wrong way pc crowd.
Apologies for 3x posts but we see this private property issue affecting a lot of good folks just wanting to go and enjoy our limited natural resources.