Save Yaupon Pier

Another North Carolina fishing pier is poised to bite the dust. According to the North Carolina Fishing Pier Society, the bank that currently owns Yaupon Pier on Oak Island is planning to auction it to the highest bidder this March.

In December the town of Oak Island created a trust for the purchase of this pier that was established in 1955, along with state officials who are seeking grant money to fund a purchase. However, with the bank moving to auction next month it may be too little too late.

Fishing piers on the Carolina coast are getting scarce. More and more operators are selling to developers willing to pay major dollars for piers that struggle to survive at $7 a head for fishermen and $2 for walkers. This quote from the NCFPS website says it all:

The number North Carolina Piers have been in a steady decline since the mid 80's. We are down to twenty piers left and the future of many of those are in doubt. Now is the time for everyone that appreciates the beauty, excitement and relaxation of the North Carolina Coast to make the statement to elected officials, real estate developers and other who would eliminate the rich history of coastal North Carolina that "WE WILL NOT GO QUIETLY IN THE NIGHT" and that "WE WILL NOT BECOME THE NEXT MYRTLE BEACH" and that if you are going to take our beaches you are going to have to "PRY THE SAND FLEA RAKE FROM OUR COLD DEAD HANDS" (just kidding). Please do not miss the opportunity to help save public access. What Oak Island is doing might serve as an example to help other communities save public access. Help stop the
privatization of the NC Coast

Photo via NCFPS (remind us not to swim off Yaupon Beach)