Give Me a Break!
The recent arrival of Memorial Day came as quite a relief. With the
unofficial start of summer, I decided to stage something of a strike at
home and declared a moratorium—at least for the holiday weekend—to
more outdoor projects. Normally, I am more than willing to take on just
about any job around the yard. In fact, there is little else that relaxes
me like tending our gardens and woods. But projects this spring have more
than tested my dedication. Actually, that’s not exactly true. It would
be more accurate to say my partner, Bob, has tested my dedication to
outdoor work! He has never been fond of outdoor chores. In fact, when we
built our home, he made it very clear the outside was my domain. That was
fine by me until Bob started to come up with projects to enhance the
beauty and aesthetic value of the property. He really can’t help it. His
creative nature constantly demands that he re-imagine the landscape to
perfect his overall vision. Unfortunately, that means things are in a
constant state of flux. It’s been a challenge for me to get used to the
notion that things that seem right to my eye may well be the next project
on his list! In the past month alone projects included edging and mulching
all flower beds, lining our backyard trail with stone, and the
installation of a third pond. After nine hours I had completed the entire
project. Everything was done including fish and landscaping. As usual, I
had to admit Bob’s creative eye was dead-on. It looked great! However,
my exhaustion had finally reached its limit. I’d had enough! I declared
an immediate moratorium on projects. Bob knew I was serious and backed off
awhile. I enjoyed a few glorious, restful weekends. I even had the chance
to get some sun over the holiday weekend. Amazing! But I think my days off
are numbered. The ideas are starting to flow out of Bob again. I’m
starting to hear things like "a bridge and a teahouse." I think
I’m in trouble. This could prove to be a very long and tiring summer!
Rules Are Rules
Among the most difficult topics to address in this column are
enforcement-related issues. After all,
who likes to be told what they "can" or "cannot" do
when visiting a park? People come to parks to get away from the problems
of everyday life. They do not want to be faced with restrictions that
limit their ability to enjoy the outdoors. But rules and regulations are
necessary to protect the natural resources and the visitors who come to
recreate there.
When I started writing this column in Letters, the first subject I
addressed was an ongoing enforcement problem involving individuals, almost
exclusively males, who were cruising select parking areas and ultimately
participating in sexual activity in the parks. My goal in addressing the
issue was to inform readers of our Division’s policies concerning this
subject. As a gay male and employee of the Division, it was important to
me that the community understood that public nudity and indecent behavior
are illegal and would not be tolerated. I stated the Division’s policy
that any individual—male or female, straight or gay—would be arrested
if they were found to be involved in such activities in the parks. While
these articles seemed to help, the problem never really went away.
In the past few weeks, I’ve had several experiences that indicated
that the problems persist. On a recent park visit, I found myself the
object of open cruising by several individuals. While some might view the
behavior as flattering, it was unwanted, over-obvious, and entirely
inappropriate. In one case, I found myself trailed for quite a distance by
one particular person. I was only left alone once I identified myself as a
park employee. In another instance, I spotted a person illegally off the
trail who motioned for me to join him. I identified myself and advised the
individual of the various Rules and Regulations he was currently
violating. As if these incidents weren’t enough, Bob and I ran into an
acquaintance while eating lunch in Rehoboth. In the course of our
conversation, he stated, "Me and the boys want to thank you for the
new park facility," and proceeded to describe in more graphic detail
the activities going on there.
Obviously, I find such incidents very discouraging. Our parks are open
to everyone, young and old. People should be able to visit our facilities
and not expect to be exposed to such behavior! It is very important the
community understands the Division will do active enforcement, including
surveillance of problem sites, to get this situation under control. It is
not our intent to intrude on legitimate visitors. Individuals who visit
the parks to meet friends have nothing to worry about as long as they do
not become involved in illegal activities.
The gay community has a stake in this as well. This type of illegal
activity does nothing but perpetuate old stereotypes. The inappropriate
actions of a few individuals give our entire community a bad name. I hope
you will understand and support our Division’s efforts to correct this
problem.
Nature’s Best Bets
If you are looking for fun and exciting ways to spend your spare time,
why not check out the Seaside Nature Center at Cape Henlopen State Park?
The Nature Center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and provides
programs designed for individuals and families. A highlight of any visit
is viewing the five 1000-gallon aquariums that feature different aquatic
habitats. You’ll be glad you took the time to explore this exciting
facility.
Here are a number of best bets at the Seaside Nature Center in Cape
Henlopen State Park:
Who Let the Dolphins Out? • Saturdays, 10 a.m.
Bottle-nosed dolphins are common summer visitors to the waters off of
Cape Henlopen. Join a park naturalist and search for dolphins from land at
the Bunker Overlook. Observe and learn about these amazing marine mammals
as they travel and feed in the waters off of the Cape.
Limited to 25 participants. Pre-registration is required. Meet at the
Nature Center. $1 per person.
Sunset Hike • Tuesdays, 7 p.m.
Hiking amidst a golden dunescape with nighthawks and bob-whites is
only the beginning of these peaceful wanderings. Join a park naturalist as
you venture to the highest point in the park to view the hues of sunset.
Meet at the south end of the ocean bathhouse parking lot.
Reptile Talk • Thursdays, 2 p.m.
Encounter live reptiles while you learn about their interesting and
often misunderstood lifestyles. Program is open to the first 50 attendees.
$1 per person.
Experience the Nocturnal World • Fridays, 8 p.m.
Embrace the incredible nightlife of Cape Henlopen State Park’s flora
and fauna. Hear calls of nighthawks, frogs, and possibly view the flight
of bats as you witness the behaviors of these night creatures. Meet at the
campground amphitheater.
For more information on these and other park programs, contact the
Seaside Nature Center at 302-645-6852 or check out www.destateparks.com.
Stephen Schilly is Park Operations Administrator for the Delaware
Division of Parks and Recreation. He may be reached at
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