People who want to drive on the beaches of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore at night between Sept. 16 and Nov. 15 now can apply for a night beach-driving permit.
The permit will be required for off-road vehicle use at all seashore ocean beaches from 10 p.m. until 6 a.m. during those dates. Until Sept. 16, driving on the beach at night is prohibited, but after Nov. 15, a permit won’t be required.
Night-driving permits from Sept. 16-Nov. 15 are required under the terms of the consent decree signed April 30 by U.S. District Court Judge Terrence W. Boyle to help increase the nesting success of sea turtles, which are protected under the Endangered Species Act
Permits are free and no limits have been placed on the number of permits that will be issued. A PDF version of the night beach-driving permit is available online and may be downloaded by going to http://www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/upload/NPS%20ORV%20Night%20Driving%20Letter%204C%20Bro%208-08.pdf. The downloaded version of the permit should be printed in color if possible.
Applicants who want a permit will have to sign that they have read the requirements, which include educational information about sea turtles that will nest at the seashore until about mid-November.
The information on the application includes instructions for what to do if you see a sea turtle at night and the types of lights and headlights that should and should not be used by folks who want to be on the beach at night.
A record number of sea-turtle are nesting at the seashore. By Aug. 28, 112 turtle nests had been counted, compared to 82 in 2007.
By Sept. 6, hard copies of the permit will be available at any Cape Hatteras National Seashore Visitor Center or campground or Outer Banks Visitors Bureau Welcome Center, as well as local tackle shops and realty offices.
The permit must be signed by the driver and visibly displayed on the vehicle’s dashboard.
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