There are only 2 public beach accesses along a  5 mile coastline on MARCO ISLAND  Tigertail is in the North

Tigertail Beach parking lot

 Red dot  shows existing facilities and proposed walkway over shallow lagoon. Length of line nearly 750'

This was shot down by environmentalists because of bird life to the north west.

 Blue dot  shows new proposed tram without walkway and new proposed facilities. Length of blue line nearly 2000'

Letter from The Conservancy of Southwest Florida regarding a walkway that would assist in access to the beach from the parking lot at Tigertail to the beach

All ramps in Marco Island end in soft sand. 

There is no location for a wheel chair to access the shoreline on the island.

See http://www.collierappraiser.com/  GIS Maps

It's a long walk from Blue dot to the beach along the gulf ! This is not beach access, this is a hike!

Visitors wading through the water to get to the gulf beach - One carrying a small child

Locked-up  Beach chair needs to be pushed

Sign reads : If you need to use the beach chair please see a park ranger or front gate attendant

Existing motorized Tram used to sell merchandise but will not escort disabled persons

 There's no way Scott Straub can self propel himself to the water

_______________________________________________________________

TIGERTAIL VOICES FOR/AGAINST ACCESS

Beach Advisory Meeting: Trams on Tigertail concern committee The BAC was unanimously against a project of this nature worried about the serious environmental impacts it would have.

_{________________________}

'Man couldn't create what Tigertail Beach offers' - Tigertail Beach Day showcases the natural wonders- By Carol Glassman
Tigertail Beach may not be the place to take the kids to swim while dad stretches out to watch those fluorescent string-like bikinis parade by.

____________________________

Linda Colombo, president of Friends of Tigertail Beach, a nonprofit corporation, said the group met Feb. 10 and unanimously opposed the project.

The group is "in favor of protecting the mangrove community, wildlife and shorebird habitat," Colombo said. "We are concerned that the construction of a boardwalk to Hideaway Beach would damage and endanger this critical ecosystem irreparably."

Nancy Payton, Southwest Florida field representative for Florida Wildlife Federation, said the non-profit group also opposes the project. She chided Collier County officials for being "two-faced" on ways to protect and promote the Marco beaches.

"In the past, the county has spent thousands of dollars to promote this area to tourists as a way to see birds and nature undisturbed," Payton said. "So the county is kind of schizophrenic on Tigertail Beach. On one hand, they say 'Come see the preserved wildlife habitat' and on the other hand, they want to exploit it by building boardwalks, filling lagoons and destroying vegetation."

____________________________

____________________________

Above is the northern section of South Beach

Without a public walkway, the beach below is all but private

Above is the southern section of South Beach - protected by large sharp boulders paid for with public funds and designed to keep the public away

Above (top) shows the seawall without the large, sharp riprap, with a small section of sand for the public to access the beach. This riprap was added in 2005 without consideration to public access and the situation with the bars now exists.