Public & Private Beaches on the West End

Some people confuse the West END Beach with the West SURF Beach.

West End Beach

The West End Beach (WEB) is at the very end of Bienville Blvd and is a public beach.  It consists of a small beach on the southern, gulf-front shoreline, and another small beach on the northern, sound-side shoreline.

Far West End Beaches

For decades, the "Far West End" (the area west of the West End Beach) was privately owned.  It is now a conservation area where the public can walk.  

Dogs are not allowed in this area, even on leashes, because of nesting turtles and birds.

Middle Beach

The public "Middle Beach" (also known as the Park & Beach Board Beach) is south of the schoolhouse and large condo complexes along Bienville.  Its westernmost point is the eastern boundary of the private West Surf Beach (at Pirates Cove Street).

The easternmost boundary of the public Middle Beach is a point west of the Park & Beach Board land-locked pier, and borders the private property of the Isle Dauphine complex, owned by the Dauphin Island Property Owners Association (DIPOA).  

Note that the DIPOA does allow public access (for a fee) to their privately-owned beach in front of the Isle Dauphine complex.  Parking for the Isle Dauphine beach is accessible via Orleans Drive, off Bienville Blvd.

Dogs are allowed on the Middle Beach, but must remain on leashes at all times.

West Surf Beach

The West Surf Beach (WSB) is a private beach, owned by the DIPOA.  This beach runs along the gulf from Pirates Cove Street on the east to the end of Bienville on the west.  From a north-south perspective, it is the sand which is south of the private property lines of the Tier 1 gulf-front houses and north of the mean high tide line.  

Dogs are allowed on this beach, but must remain on leashes at all times.

Note that all island property owners have access to the WSB, and may set up anywhere on the WSB, since all island property owners are, by default, members of the DIPOA.

Public Access to the West Surf Beach waterline area

The public may walk along the "wet sand" area (the mean high tide line area) which is south of the private West Surf Beach.  

The public cannot walk across private property to get to the West Surf Beach. You can however walk west along the wet sand area of the public Middle Beach, and continue walking west in the wet sand area on the southern edge of the West Surf Beach.

North-South Boundary of the WSB: Where the gulf-front private properties end, and the private West Surf Beach begins

To be clear, all gulf-front beach that is north of the wet sand area on the southern shoreline, between Pirates Cove and the end of Bienville, is private beach.  

Towards the eastern boundary, the West Surf Beach is wider.  Towards the western boundary, the West Surf Beach is narrower, or non-existent, due to erosion.  

Many of the Tier 1 lots near the western edge of the WSB have lost much land over the years.  So the mean high tide line (the average high tide line, sometimes generally referred to as the "wet sand" area) where the public can walk, is very close to those gulf-front houses, or even under those houses!

Walking further west in the eroded area can result in walking on what is left of the West Surf Beach, or walking on portions of private lots (some lots are even completely underwater).  After reaching the narrower portion, it is best to turn around and walk back east.

Note to island property owners who wish to set up on the West Surf Beach - be certain that you are not on part of the private lots of the houses which are right on the beach.  In cases where the wet sand line is perhaps 20-30 feet or closer to the houses, that will likely be part of a private lot.  Please be respectful and avoid setting up there, or walking close to or under the houses, since you may be, or definitely will be, on private property.

History of ownership of the West Surf Beach in the 21st century (so far)

In 2009, the DIPOA deeded the West Surf Beach to the Town of Dauphin Island (making it a public beach), in the hopes that doing so would enable that area to obtain state, federal or other funding to restore the eroding shoreline.

The deed to make the WSB public was granted temporarily, on the condition that the Town would seek funding and begin a shoreline restoration project within 7 years. No project ever materialized, so the West Surf Beach ownership reverted back to the DIPOA in 2016, and it became private once more.

Link to deed