Pungo Ferry Bridge "No Wake Zone"--Is It Still Valid?

I'm one of many local fishermen who have asked or been asked that question. Until recently, I never had heard a clear-cut answer. But that was before my friend, Skip, decided to get to the bottom of the issue. His official inquiry drew the following response from Sgt. B. K. Ricardo; Special Operations; Marine Patrol/Dive Team Supervisor; Virginia Beach Police Department; Virginia Beach, VA 23456; Ph. 385-4606:

"This no-wake zone remains in place and enforceable by numerous agencies, to include the Virginia Beach Police Department Marine Patrol, the Virginia Marine Police (VMRC), and the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Although the restaurant, store and marina no longer are there, we have noticed a large number of citizens still using the beach and boats pulling up to the store for recreation. Additionally, we noticed a large number of commercial tugs with barges in tow passing through that narrow channel, especially at night, and we need to ensure that they continue to slow down prior to and immediately after the Pungo Ferry Bridge. Large wakes from these vessels could cause damage to the shoreline, as well as the Pungo Ferry Bridge."

After I first had posted this item in the sidebar area of my blog, I received an email from my kayaker buddy, Charlie, who frequently launches there in the vicinity of the old bridge. He expressed a little surprise that Sgt. Ricardo's response hadn't included another piece of information, and that's the fact the old Capt. George's beach area is private property and a no-trespassing zone.

Charlie has had occasion to witness firsthand what can happen to those who choose to defy that restriction. He once watched two cop cars and a police boat simultaneously arrive on the scene and run off everybody.

To the best of my knowledge, fishermen still lawfully can enter the old docking area on the premises to pitch and flip what's left there, or maybe just to drown a few worms and minnows, but that would seem to be the extent of any kind of "welcome mat" per se.