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tion, occurs inside embayments.This apparent lack of utilization of 

 swimming is based on several factors varying from personal preference 

 to environmental quality. The most significant reasons are these: 



(1) There is a lack of large sandy beaches, surf, and expansive 

 seascapes. 



(2) Public access is limited because of marshy terrain and pri- 

 vate development along the shoreline. (For example, of all Mary- 

 land's 41 State parks, including those authorized or under con- 

 struction, only five are on the estuaries. In Connecticut only five of 

 the 82 State parks are located on the coast, despite a recreation 

 shoreline of 162 miles) . 



(3) Swimming is often prohibited or is disagreeable in embay- 

 ments because of low water quality. 



The fishing aspects have been discussed previously, but are men- 

 tioned again because of the relationship between sport fishing and 

 recreation, especially as an associated activity. Pleasure boating and 

 shoreline activities are frequently extensions of sport fishing trips or 

 vice versa. 



Boating is a major recreational use of the estuarine system. On a per 

 capita basis however, the coastal States do not have a high propensity 

 towards boating activities. While representing 61.5 percent of the 

 Nation's population in 1966, the coastal States accounted for only 

 55.4 percent of the total sales in outboard motors. Only about 25 per- 

 cent of all pleasure boating is estimated to occur in the coastal waters, 

 most of which is in protected areas. 



Aesthetic enjoyment is probably the most widespread use of the 

 estaurine environment today. Tourists from the interior States are al- 

 ways eager to view such sights as ships coming under the Golden Gate 

 Bridge into San Francisco Bay, the lonely solitude of Foi-t Sumter as 

 it rests seemingly impregnable in Charleston Harbor, and the parade 

 of ships in and out of New York Harbor. The attractive scenic vistas 

 are not for the tourists alone, but hold a certain magnetism for residents 

 of the coastal cities as well. One has only to scan the real estate adver- 

 tisements to realize the premium value on waterfront or waterview lots. 



Many of the coastal cities have had the foresight to reserve the estu- 

 arine shoreline for parks and scenic parkways. The George Washington 

 Memorial Parkway in Virginia is a good example, for it allows un- 

 paralleled view of the historic Potomac River near the Nation's capital. 



Aesthetic appreciation of the estuarine zone is not limited to the 

 enjoyment of the scenic grandeur, but also includes observation of its 

 wide variety of wildlife. This includes birds of all types, the fascinat- 

 ing creatures of the tide pools, and playful porpoises cavorting in the 

 water with an enviable freedom. 



A portion of the estuarine wildlife also serves another recreational 

 use — hunting. Some of the estuarine marsh areas offer miexcelled 

 waterfowl hunting opportunities. To a lesser degree the estuarine areas 

 in certain sections of the country offer other types of hunting opportu- 

 nities, such as coastal deer in South Carolina and Florida and big game 

 in Alaska. 



