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No birthday suits, just bathing suits for Bird Island

Submitted by WWAY on Tue, 04/07/2009 - 4:44pm.READ MORE:
birdisland300.jpg
Signs on one Brunswick County beach could soon reveal the naked truth about North Carolina nudist laws. The signs will help notify sun bathers on Bird Island to trade their birthday suit for their bathing suit on their next trip to the beach. Many beach goers believe that Bird Island is a nude beach, but public nudity is banned by North Carolina law. Signs already posted say nothing about nudity on Bird Island, but show it's illegal in Sunset Beach. Monday night, Brunswick County commissioners voted to create a sign to help make it clear you can not visit any local beaches in the buff. “Some folks got the idea that it is allowable, so were just essentially posting what the law is,” said Brunswick County Commissioner Marty Cooke. Bird Island lies in both North and South Carolina, but does not fall under the jurisdiction of any Brunswick County town. However, the part of the beach in North Carolina is subject to the state laws. Cooke said the no nude bathing signs will also list other illegal acts such as littering and setting off fireworks. The signs could be up within the next few months.

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laws

Submitted by d.suggs (not verified) on Mon, 01/04/2010 - 7:38pm.
any new laws that govern bird island and partial nudity. thongs and g-strings. the times i have been there it has been quiet nice and nobody bothers you. we have friends and we have met at bird island and its been so peaceful and we used a lot of discretion. the state of north carolina should make at least a small portion of the island, nudist only. european beaches are pretty much clothing optional. no tan lines
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Anti-nudity law

Submitted by aurth (not verified) on Tue, 02/02/2010 - 10:59am.

Since there is no clear demarcation of the NC/SC state line on Bird Island, this could put the Brunswick County Police in the position of enforcing NC state law within the state of SC. What an interesting legal bag of worms that could be

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Where To park

Submitted by Guest on Sat, 08/15/2009 - 2:54pm.
I have tried to visit Bird Island several times but I cannot find anywhere to park. Any suggestions?
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Parking

Submitted by Jay Scribe (not verified) on Wed, 08/19/2009 - 1:55pm.
I'vw been lucky. I have always found a spot at the west end of Main Street.
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Bird Island

Submitted by Jay Scribe (not verified) on Mon, 07/20/2009 - 3:51pm.
Just got back from my first visit in 14 years to Bird Island. It has changed, because it is no longer an island but is connected to Sunset Beach. During my four-hour visit, there were many walkers, some bicyclists and a few joggers who went to the rock jetty at the end of the beach. Only about five guys were nude. It was not a perfect experience. For a better time, spend $20 and ride the water taxi from the Blockade Runner at Wrightsville Beach to Masonboro Island.
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nudity

Submitted by american nudist (not verified) on Tue, 07/07/2009 - 5:17pm.
i have been to europe and most of their beaches are clothing optional. europeans don't frown on nudity like americans do or should i say the bible belt. the state of north carolina should make BIRD ISLAND clothing optional beach. at shallote nc just south of wilimington nc, they allow a nudist colony to exist, why not let those who would like, go out and lay nude on bird island. that is a good walk from sunset beach. and that 2 or 2 and a half mile walk is showing some discretion and consideration for others. look what the nc legislature has in front of them right now, gambling machines, they have always wanted their cut. if you don't like football, you don't go to it, and that goes for alot of different aspects of life, if we don't like it we don't go to it or don't partake. charge people to walk or lay out. just like everything else change is good and the tourism would greatly increase, it's all about economic's and our right to express ourself
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While it's illegal under

Submitted by Lindros88 (not verified) on Tue, 06/23/2009 - 8:45am.
While it's illegal under North Carolina law to be totally nude on Bird Island, the county commissioners, sunset beach patrols, and the prudes from the Bird Island Preservation Society need to keep in mind that thong & g-string swimwear is perfectly legal under state code. This was already tested in the NC Supreme Court. Sunset Beach has local ordinances against exposure of buttocks, however Bird Island is state owned and thereby follows state statutes.
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Bird Island Skinny Dippers

Submitted by aurthj8 (not verified) on Sun, 01/31/2010 - 11:42am.

Since there is no clear demarcation indicating the NC/SC state line on Bird Island, could the Brunswick County, NC police be in the position of enforcing NC state law within the state of SC? What an interesting legal bag of worms that could be.

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topless, thongs, and or nudity

Submitted by dale and jane (not verified) on Tue, 05/26/2009 - 10:11am.
we were just down there this memorial weekend and had a great time. we did lay out with others that were there and everybody was nice and polite. we did respect others if children came by and even adults. i talked to the brunswick county sheriff and they stated or she did that just show a little respect. nobody truly has juristiction from where the canal use to be on down to the waterway except the marine coastal. only seen them one time but must have been responding to an accident. i will see if i can get something concrete. but i honestly believe that your ok i have never heard of anybody getting a ticket, one of the couples that was down there while we were, said in the past 5 years that they had been going the police came down once because a guy didn't cover up while children were around. it may not be legal to lay nude, but to walk 2 miles down the beach to get away from the crowd tells me you are using common sense besides aalot of people probably want to lay nude but are to scared. don't be ashamed of your body, god gave it to you. if you are a real nudist you respect others, god bless those no tan lines
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its a sad state of affairs

Submitted by nudist (not verified) on Wed, 04/15/2009 - 9:42am.
its a sad state of affairs when most people seem more at ease watching violent behavior over nudity just look at what comes out of holiwood
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NUDE

Submitted by Guest121122112 (not verified) on Sun, 04/12/2009 - 8:12am.
Well there are nudist camps in NC and they are legal.There is one is in Bunswick County.If NC allows them,then NC should designate part of Bird Island as a nudist camp,since Brunswick County already has one that is legal.
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Is Nudism Permitted On The South Carolina Side?

Submitted by BeoWolf (not verified) on Sat, 04/11/2009 - 7:46pm.
Are there any beaches on the South Carolina side of Bird Island that permit nude sunbathing? If one is needed, the standard signage warning of a nude beach reads as follows: Beyond This Point You May Encounter Nude Sunbathers Thanks in advance.
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Amazing

Submitted by fed up (not verified) on Wed, 04/08/2009 - 9:00am.
It's soooo great to see the local government focus it's attention on such pressing issues.
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Bird Island

Submitted by aurthj8 (not verified) on Mon, 01/25/2010 - 11:10am.

It seems to me that the resources of the Brunswick County Maritime Unit would be better served arresting drunken and unsafe boat operators rather than patrolling Bird Island looking for a few having an innocent skinny dip in the ocean. I’m not suggesting a change in the state law only leaving this isolated stretch of beach as unenforced.
How many have experienced the simple joy of splashing in the warm ocean without a swimsuit and without fear of arrest? Not many, I’m sure, unless you spent your money out of state or out of country. Money better spent in the local economy.
With hundreds of miles of coastline in the Carolinas, I urge the County Board to rescind the enforcement order on this isolated little stretch of beach.

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Nudity bans are silly and unenforcable

Submitted by CHuck Morton (not verified) on Tue, 04/07/2009 - 11:32pm.
It seems to me that anyone who walks 2 miles to find a remote enough place to get naked has shown great respect for those who do not wish to see. It seems equally obvious that anyone who does not wish to see can easily avoid the area by not walking those 2 miles. I also notice that this alleged "local physician" has no name. There are few places for humans to relate to the real world in as simple a fashion as being totally within it. Wouldn't it be simpler to designate a nude beach, and contain it in this remote area? Or would you rather see nudity spread around to isolated spots all along the water? Prohibiting behaviors does not make them go away. The law against nudity is ignored frequently, because it is a silly law based on prejudice and ignorance. To reply in kind to the primitive logic - IF GOD HAD INTENDED US TO BE NAKED, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN BORN THAT WAY!
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we were...

Submitted by Guest00067 (not verified) on Thu, 04/09/2009 - 9:41am.
Funny thing about the comment people use "if god had intended us to be naked he would have made us that way" lolol I don't know about everyone else... but I was born that way. just adding some humor on the aspect of that saying.
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Specified Nude Beaches

Submitted by Amy Mowrey (not verified) on Tue, 04/07/2009 - 6:32pm.
In a time when our states tourism economy is going to be greatly effected, it seems absurd that with as much uninhabited coastline available to post as "clothing optional" that we continue to ignore this huge draw from normal people who just go elsewhere. I'm sure with our "Governments" control and regulate all attitude that this right would never be extended. PSSST, heres a hint...State issued licenses for nude sunbathers = MORE TAX $$$$. That should get it passed.
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nudity

Submitted by dale sand jane (not verified) on Thu, 04/30/2009 - 6:51pm.
my wife and i was just up there and had a great time. nobody was hardly there laying out. but only those, for what ever reason shouldn't enfringe on our rights based on the first amendment. the state should desginate an area at bird island for those who would like to go without there bathing suit. we have beaches all over for those who like not to go nude. those people are so narrow minded. need any help getting those who like to go nude at bird island, just e-mail me and my wife and we will support the cause any way we can. its the freedom of the matter, we have rights. look no tan lines
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