Thank you to Lynn Agnew for such a nice article about the North Beach area (“Kingston’s downtown beach,” page 16, April 2011 Kingston Community News). At low tide, it is a wonderful beach to watch ships, explore tide pools, view wildlife — sea birds, eagle, otters, and seals — sometimes even orcas!

I’m glad she stated that people should turn left at 4th at the top of Washington Boulevard instead of continuing on; after that huge dip, it becomes a “private access only” road. I live in that area and trespassing has become a big problem — March 28th’s rescue is a case in point. If this group had not decided to hike on this private stretch of road, a rescue would not have been necessary.

One time, a neighbor came home from church and found a family picnicking on their lawn — the family had walked the beach and thought that it would be a nice place to rest and enjoy their meal. I know people can get caught off-guard by the tides and may end up climbing my bulkhead and crossing my property to return to the marina area safely — and I don’t have a problem with that — why would I?

“Time and tide wait for no man” — right? I was taught, and taught my own kids, that you don’t run across other people’s yards, you don’t pick their flowers, you don’t climb their trees, etc., but not everyone has that instilled in them. Other people will walk the beach and see the bulkheads as a challenge (and they are a challenge to climb!), or see a house where it appears nobody is home and peek in the windows (curiosity is normal, right?) Few people would walk down a public avenue and decide to climb a tree in someone’s yard or relax on their porch without permission; people who live on a private road expect the same level of restraint. Is this unreasonable?

I think as a homeowner I have the right to expect people to respect my privacy and that of my neighbors. Not unreasonable at all.

Shirley Bomgaars
Kingston