COMMENTARY
Drowning Does Not Merit Bickering and Finger-Pointing
By BENJAMIN LEWIS
September 29, 2014
Upon reading Wayne Creed’s well written article in the Wave September 22 (CLICK), I couldn’t help but feel a certain sense of sadness and disappointment all at once. As the son of a Cape Charles native and grandson of a former Cape Charles town manager, mayor, and business leader, I feel a special connection to Cape Charles. From its perfectly aligned and tree-shaded streets to its small-town America vibe, Cape Charles has a unique panache that cannot be duplicated.
However, not unlike many boom towns across this great country of ours, Cape Charles has not been without its troubles. From its earliest days, this southernmost enclave on the Eastern Shore has seen fortunes come and go with the tides that frequent its shores. Starting with the railroad that placed Cape Charles on the map, to the Bay Creek development that practically saved its future and then almost lost it again, the town knows a thing or two about recovery.
This summer has been a particularly trying season for the area. Starting with the disastrous and deadly tornado that ripped through Cherrystone, it was quickly followed by the tragic drowning death of Uvihin “Ace” Horton at the public town beach. In the days and weeks following Horton’s death, the people of this town have quietly begun the process of introspectively digesting what happened and how it possibly could have been prevented. The death of anyone by drowning, much less a child on vacation, is a horrific tragedy. It further highlights the risk we all take when enjoying the prolific expanses of nature that surround our peninsula.
In Mr. Creed’s article, he rightly questioned why the town has not installed some type of safety measures beyond a sign that is posted on the dunes nearest the Gazebo. Life guards, more safety signs, a daily posting of high and low tides, and floats attached to rope indicating the outer limits of safe swimming are all good starts. However, beyond these suggestions is where I draw the line in agreeing with Mr. Creed’s assessment of the town’s handling of the drowning, their attitude towards safety, and the overall climate of the town’s current state of affairs.
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Mr. Creed stated, “Cape Charles has done much to lure tourists here, yet even as it was well aware of the dangers posed by drowning, it did nothing to protect them. . . . Had they [town officials] not been so greedy, petty, and vindictive, and had they focused on what was truly important (safety of children), then this tragedy could have been avoided. . . . The irony that Councilman Natali and the Planning Commission spent so much time and energy fighting and ripping down “Community Center Now” signs, instead of putting up signs warning visitors of the drastic changes in depth and the deceiving current at the edge of the channel, is hard to reconcile.”
Mr. Creed then went on to list a number of actions he deemed “fiascos”: “a malodorous, septic wastewater treatment plant, . . . spending over a million dollars on Central Park and then selling the adjacent public property to a developer for $10, . . . skyrocketing fees and taxes, . . . millions spent on a harbor that only serves the wealthy 1 percent, . . . piling up an $11 million debt burden . . . .” He sometime later finished his assessment by casting the proverbial net wide and not only chastising Cape Charles but the entire Eastern Shore, hoping for “a new tone of caring, safety, and accountability that has been sadly missing from Cape Charles, and the Eastern Shore for that matter, for oh so many years.”
While I agree that more could have (and should be) done to provide a safer beach experience to tourists and locals alike, it is common knowledge that water, especially open bodies of water that experience tides, is dangerous. Beaches are always used at one’s own risk. At some point a swimmer and their companions must make a decision to turn back from deeper water, even if they are experienced swimmers. It is impossible for any governmental body to protect all beach goers. Additionally, protection of swimmers comes at a cost. For example, the State Of Illinois requires a lifeguard for every 100 people present or every 2,000 square feet of open water. The Cape Charles beach is quite long and curves at one point, obscuring a clear view around the bend. Clearly this will require quite a few certified lifeguards. While perhaps a necessary and welcomed cost, this will eventually be paid for by taxpayers of the town.
However, it is irresponsible and careless to call out one person (Natali) in a thinly veiled accusation of culpability for the drowning. Not a single person, notwithstanding their role, is responsible for this child’s death. Calls for more safety at the beach should have taken place years ago, not once tragedy has struck. If it was such a priority, the lifeguards, signs, and safety measures would have been in place — it’s that simple. At the end of the day, the things we all deem important are accomplished.
As for Mr. Creed’s other grievances (all of which have been laid out in some form or fashion in this newspaper in the past), the time has come for the citizens of Cape Charles to quell once and for all the bickering that seemingly will not go away. The Eastern Shore News reported in Saturday’s edition that the Town of Onancock is facing the reality that their new water plant is in the red. Not so in Cape Charles. It stands to reason that when your corporate town residents include a Fortune 500 company (Bayshore Concrete is owned by Skanska), a military installation (Coast Guard Station Cape Charles), a relatively large downtown collection of shops and restaurants, and one of the most impressive golf course/residential communities in the mid-Atlantic, you provide them with modern, efficient water resources.
Before being mothballed and demolished, the old Cape Charles wastewater plant, built in the 1980s, was an old, cantankerous, inefficient and environmentally irresponsible mess. It could not meet the Commonwealth’s requirements for clean discharge water. Today’s new plant was constructed with federal and state grants, the balance of which is being paid for by the town.
It stands to reason that a family of four who’s expecting twins would purchase a Suburban and not a Honda Civic. Cape Charles is growing and when Bay Creek begins to fill up with homes, we’ll be glad we have the excess capacity. Right now I’ll take the clean water.
While it is impossible to address each of Mr. Creed’s concerns one by one, it is safe to say our town is not on the verge of imminent collapse — financially, morally, or otherwise. If it were possible to take everyone reading this article on a pictorial review of the land that is now Cape Charles Central Park, Cape Charles Harbor, Cape Charles Wastewater Treatment Plant and, for that matter, Cape Charles as a whole circa 1994, they would be shocked. From boarded up and abandoned homes to streets with potholes, a former school property littered with trash and a chain link fence surrounding, to a harbor that a jon boat captain would be embarrassed to tie up to, Cape Charles was an absolute travesty.
Once the glittering jewel of the Eastern Shore and the gateway to the Delmarva peninsula and beyond, the town was on the verge of complete collapse. One could joke that there were more feral cats in town than tourists on any given summer evening. Even the beach, the town’s only remaining calling card, was dirty and boring. How 20 years changes things.
My father, a career football coach, likes to say, “People don’t complain until you start doing something right.” While his reference is to changes in tradition he’s made at different schools, the principle remains the same. Not everything in Cape Charles is right. Then again, the same could be said for just about every town in America. We have a lot to correct, an assortment of important items to improve upon. But if bickering, finger pointing, and unproductive chattering is all that is produced from a town about to celebrate its 130th anniversary, we have no one to blame but ourselves.
Submissions to COMMENTARY are welcome on any subject relevant to Cape Charles. Opinions expressed are those of the writer and not necessarily of this publication.
Well said, Mr. Lewis.
I agree whole heartedly with your commentary. Mr. Creed calls out the dangers of Cape Charles waters and singles out the guilty. The child was under adult supervision. At what point is the public at fault for this tragedy? Within the same period a tornado struck Cherrystone Campgrounds resulting the death of a young boy and his parents. Who is at fault here? Should they have been allowed to pitch a tent near the tree that fell on them?
I appreciate Mr. Lewis’s article, and his point of view, and was happy that he recognized the original, fundamental premise of the article: the Town, even as it understood the dangers posed by the channel, was neglectful in not providing safety measures at the beach, and that neglect led to the drowning. This was also a choice, and as such, it was willful neglect.
Mr. Lewis seems fond of Cape Charles history, yet he erroneously mentions that beach safety should have been discussed long ago. Well, it has been (many times, by many people). The last time a child died at Cape Charles beach, news teams from across the bay set up on Bay Avenue to cover the event for the entire Delmarva. Although it took some time after that, when Joe Vaccaro and Heather Arcos were a team at 2 Plum Street, they recognized the need and responsibility, and did indeed implement a beach safety plan. The Town purchased expensive ATVs so that the police could patrol the beach, and we had some teenagers that were employed to walk the waterfront. However, this only lasted for one summer, and tourists and visitors have been left to their own devices ever since. The abandonment of Mr. Vaccaro’s beach safety program (which had lots of potential), again speaks to and highlights the choices and priorities the Town has held over the last few years.
Yet, it doesn’t appear anything has changed. It has been months since that boy drowned, and still the Town has done nothing to address it. You would think that they would have begun that very day to make sure that no other child will die out there. Instead, last week, the Town Council and Planning Commission met and went well into the evening working on the Town’s chicken coop ordinance. Yes, chicken coops. The Town Planner has spent hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars scouring the United States, researching the urban chicken movement, and how it may be implemented in Cape Charles. I don’t mean to sound mocking or unpleasant, but maybe next, he could take 10 minutes and drive down to Kiptopeke beach, and review how they have put safety measures in place to protect their visitors from drowning.
Yes, Cape Charles has a big beach, and it might take a team, and some work to warn folks to beware of the channel, but it might, as Martha Stewart, says, be a good thing. If priorities are in order, it would seem we could use monies from Tall Ships and the Clam Slam towards maintaining a seasonal, highly trained beach safety staff. This also seems like it would be one of the most fruitful and enjoyable things the Town could possibly do.
If I sound angry, that’s because I am. How can you look at the picture of that boy and not feel so? Here’s a simple question: had that family gone to Kiptopeke instead of Cape Charles that day, would that boy still be alive?
Change.
Mr. Lewis that was indeed one of the best short history lessons and rebuttals I have ever read. Bravo Sir!
Mr. Lewis, thanks for a wonderfully crafted response. It feels like things have already gotten more peaceful since your reply.
A voice of reason posted on the Wave — so few and far between. I didn’t comment on Wayne Creed’s article since I didn’t want to “feed the thesaurus.” Thanks for a very insightful post!
There is a difference between a tornado and a drowning. There is not a thing we can do about the tornado or any other weather or natural disaster, while if we see a way to make a beach or intersection or roadway safer we really have an obligation to speak out. It’s not that we are finding fault with anyone — it’s that with our life experiences we may see something that others have not noticed.
I was taking a truck load of beans to Associated Farms in Melfa waiting for the light to change at Airport Road and Route 13 when a semi headed south on 13 was attempting a right turn and needed more room than the intersection affords. I saw a car passing on his right run into the trailer as he made the turn. I drew a sketch of how to make the turn safer and took it to the resident engineer. VDOT may have already had my plan on the drawing board, but at any rate there is now a much safer lane for right turns. I also saw cars skidding through the stop sign at Airport Road across Savageville Road which is pretty heavily traveled, going through the ditch and onto a farm field. There was at least one crash of two vehicles. I recomended a sign saying “Stop Ahead,” which was done, and I believe it is now much safer.
For many years I heated with wood and felled trees and you need to be aware of the danger. Some branches are the size of a tree and there’s always a chance one will be rotten and fall. We had a beautiful large maple by our house and what a delight to sit under it on a hot summer day but sadly it had to be removed. If it would have fallen it would have taken out the house. You also need to be aware of lightning and avoid trees.
Some things you can avoid — others just happen.
This is a well written commentary Benjamin and I thank you for it. That being said I still believe the powers that be have got to make some changes at the beach. We must have a safer beach and that is all there is to it. Perhaps our acting town manager Bob Panek could stop obsessing about his sewer pipe for a few minutes and give some attention to the beach. Perhaps our recreation director Jen Lewis could take a few minutes and think over the main summer attraction, which is the beach.
The drowning of little Ace has really driven the ball over the fence. This is NOT the first drowning at the Cape Charles beach and it won’t be the last if things don’t CHANGE.
Mayor Proto needs to quit worrying about dogs on the beach and start worrying about DROWNINGS.
It is obvious that Mr. Creed has an axe to grind with quite a few people who do not share his political views. It is a shame that he uses personal attacks, exaggerations, and outright untruths to try and prove his points. Of course he does have a few “Birds of a Feather” to echo his lamentations, but not enough to win any elections. [. . .]
My thoughts exactly, Sgt. Rasputin, well said. It’s easy for Mr. Creed to sit behind his computer and point fingers, yet you don’t see him running for office. May you enjoy your retirement from the USMC and thank you for your service to our country.
(Wayne Creed was a candidate for mayor of Cape Charles in 2010. –EDITOR)
[To Jockamo Rasputin and Marie Ciaffa:] Not only did I run for office, but I also served several years on the Wetlands Board. I was even invited by the Town to apply for the Planning Commission (which I did). As far as just sitting behind a computer, it should be noted that I spend a good bit of my free time as volunteer.
In the above letter, Mr. Lewis wrote: “When your corporate town residents include a Fortune 500 company (Bayshore Concrete is owned by Skanska) . . . you provide them with modern, efficient water resources.” But in fact Bayshore Skanska does not hook up to Cape Charles “water resources” — either water or sewer. They never have and never will. So if you are searching for exaggeration and untruths, how could you possibly miss that?
And this: “If it was such a priority, the lifeguards, signs, and safety measures would have been in place — it’s that simple. At the end of the day, the things we all deem important are accomplished.” A young child has drowned on our beach, so what exactly are the priorities we deem important? The priorities we all deem important are studying urban chickens and new signs warning people to keep golf carts off the grass. Not a peep about protecting children at the beach.
I understand that people such as the above commenters want to just brush this under the rug and pretend it never happened. But I’ve been raging against this kind of machine for too long to stop now. I’ve barely gotten my stride on the illegal, fraudulent Old School sale, and I’m just getting warmed up on this one.