The war is won the battles have ended after decades of disputes, harassment by hired thugs, thugs impersonating police officers, thugs removing personal property from beach, unauthorized “motion activated” camera surveillance and electronic audio broadcasting, illegal, unsightly and obtrusive fencing, threatening signage, phony documents, did I mention the fences? Sounds like North Korea but this battle took place at Lake Tahoe on Bucks Beach in California. The battle was between a few brazen homeowners who claimed ownership of Bucks Beach and one Joe Public who knew her/his rights. Now California State Lands Commission has finally settled this battle and once again Bucks Beach is a part of The Public Trust.

Thanks to a few local residents the fences (literally) came down last week and locals and other assorted Earthlings celebrated on Sunday January 31st. Once again you can paddle your kayak or meander down the scenic path with your paddle and SUP in hand to Bucks Beach. Once again you can paddle your SUP or kayak or sail a sailboat to Bucks Beach and spread out a blanket and spend the day on this pristine little stretch of public property. Hike there or paddle there and see first hand how your tax dollars now benefit you. Now stretch out on your blanket, look up at your clean blue sky, listen to your gentle surf, the robins song from the trees and forget for a moment all your cares but never forget that not one person can own this beach and that it is important that simple ordinary people help protect Americas public places and wildlife for generations to come.

Now go parents and children alike, paddle your kayak, SUP or sailboat and see the giant crystal on the beach, feel the glittering clean sand between your toes. Then paddle and drink the pristine water, dive down and swim through the underwater caves, come up and feel the sun on a hot summer day but take only pictures and leave only footprints. Never give the people that would hire top dollar lawyers’ reasons to fence off places like this again. Our mothers and fathers fought way too many battles to just let this kind of thing happen, especially in America! So let it be known that some people fought a battle for a piece of that sweet “freedom pie” and that this time they won! Maybe we could have avoided all the fuss by considering this one ancient proverb; “The Earth was not given to you by your father it was loaned to you by your children”. So take care everyone and don’t forget to share your toys…damn it!