Delaware beach scheduled to reopen

This weekend people can once again head to the beach at Gordons Pond in Cape Henlopen now that piping plovers have finished nesting.

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control made the announcement on Tuesday to remind those that officials will open a portion of the beach to foot traffic on Saturday, Aug. 11.  According to DNREC, about two-thirds of a mile of beach had been closed to protect nesting piping plovers, as well as other endangered beach nesting.  The closing was also enforced to protect migratory shorebirds.

Meanwhile, plover nesting and fledging activity continues on the point of the park which has been closed since March. Dunes and overwash areas are now among the restricted areas and will stay closed until the end of summer. Those parts of Gordons Pond will remain off limits to visitors to protect more sensitive habitat areas.

Once nesting is completed there, the rest of the ocean-side of the pond will reopen on Sept. 1, and the bayside is expected to open by Oct. 1.

Piping plovers have finished nesting at Gordons Pond in Cape Henlopen State Park, and as a result, the ocean beach at Gordons Pond will be opened to vehicular and foot traffic on Saturday, Aug. 11.

 

Nearly two-thirds of a mile of beach at Gordons Pond had been closed to protect nesting piping plovers and other threatened and endangered beach nesting and migratory shorebirds. Although the ocean beach will be open, the dunes and overwash areas at Gordons Pond will remain closed to protect sensitive habitat areas.

 

On the Point, plover nesting and fledging activity is continuing. In that part of the park, a three-quarter mile stretch of ocean beach and dunes plus a half mile along the bay shoreline have been closed since March. The ocean side will reopen on Sept. 1, while the bayside will remain closed until Oct. 1.