Observing the universe, the planet or one’s backyard, it’s obvious there is no such thing as “stasis.” There is no standing still — there is only improvement or deterioration. This necessitates re-assessing long-held practice on occasion.

Take the Island’s historic tradition of restricted beach access. Beyond the plethora of “private” beaches available only though ownership of expensive “beach keys,” municipalities have made very restrictive beach policies even more restrictive in the last 20 years.

As beaches erode and become less passable, municipalities have further restricted beach policies. As a result, fewer beaches are available for extended walks. They have become scarce to non-existent depending on the town you live in, particularly if you want to walk, with or without your dog, other than at 6 a.m.

I used to drive nearly 10 miles to Lambert’s Cove in the early morning to walk (with our dog), but this year that access has been denied. This was an extreme measure taken by the town when they could have worked to resolve some of the minor issues that arose due to the popularity of the open access 8 to 10 a.m. afforded to that beach.

In Chilmark, we have no extensive beach to walk with or without a dog because Squibnocket has been unpassable for years, and the authorities claim the terms of the lease for Lucy Vincent prohibit passing beyond a certain point. Town officials deny this is in violation of the National Seashores Act. I hear similar stories from those living in other towns. The supremacy of federal over state law would seem to put these local restrictions in flagrant violation of this federal statute, which (as I understand it) guarantees public access to any beach between the low and high tide water mark.

The status quo in the Island seems to have acclimatized us to a system that may be illegal, unconstitutional and has definitely resulted in less and less public available seashore.

Kay Matschullat

Chilmark and New York City