I have now heard a few reports from boaters in our region who say they are
finding
many mooring buoys just "gone" from state marine parks.

One boater found zero buoys at a park that previously had three.
He asked the park ranger about it, and was adamently informed that the park had
just as many mooring buoys now as ever. The boater asked the ranger to show him
where the buoys were, and the ranger then backed down to admit they were
"temporarily out of service."

Offical excuses seem to vary between "the crane on the buoy service boat is
broken" to "we can't get the permits needed to reanchor the buoys once we have
removed them for servicing or repair."

There aren't enough boaters to get anybody in government to give a serious rip
about maintaining infrastructure, dredging areas not frequented by commercial
vessels, etc. One version of the federal budget this year called for the
elimination of funding for dredging the ICW, (don't know whether that was the
version that finally passed), so it isn't just a regional issue.

Our sport and the boating industry depend on maintaining a certain
infrastructure.
This may not be the right economic environment to expect sweeping improvements,
but IMO we should all sing out when we notice the loss of existing
services.

On 16 Jul 2004 00:02:57 GMT, (Gould 0738) wrote:
Our sport and the boating industry depend on maintaining a certain
infrastructure.
This may not be the right economic environment to expect sweeping improvements,
but IMO we should all sing out when we notice the loss of existing
services.
================================================== =====
I couldn't agree more, but what we really need is an effective
lobbying force. Unfortunately the industry for the most part is a
collection of cottage businesses and have their hands full just
protecting their own intersts let alone ours. It's important that we
all come to realize that our interests are intertwined. Where is Boat
US in all this? THEY are supposed to be our lobbying force but seem
strangely silent on many issues. I haven't heard a peep out of them
regarding the dock building and manatee madness issues in SW FL, nor
have I seen any visability vis-a-vis the ICW dredging issue. We all
need to dig into our collective pockets and help to fund a group of
high powered lawyers who will sue the pants off any group that takes
an anti-boating stance of any kind (jet skis not included :-) ).

Sad but true.

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
news
On 16 Jul 2004 00:02:57 GMT, (Gould 0738) wrote:
Our sport and the boating industry depend on maintaining a certain
infrastructure.
This may not be the right economic environment to expect sweeping
improvements,
but IMO we should all sing out when we notice the loss of existing
services.
================================================== =====
I couldn't agree more, but what we really need is an effective
lobbying force. Unfortunately the industry for the most part is a
collection of cottage businesses and have their hands full just
protecting their own intersts let alone ours. It's important that we
all come to realize that our interests are intertwined. Where is Boat
US in all this? THEY are supposed to be our lobbying force but seem
strangely silent on many issues. I haven't heard a peep out of them
regarding the dock building and manatee madness issues in SW FL, nor
have I seen any visability vis-a-vis the ICW dredging issue. We all
need to dig into our collective pockets and help to fund a group of
high powered lawyers who will sue the pants off any group that takes
an anti-boating stance of any kind (jet skis not included :-) ).

Sad but true.

y'all might want to think about this issue of motorized recreation when
it comes time to vote in the next election. Consider which candidates
want to ban snowmobiles, and roads, and SUVs, and outboard motors.

del cecchi

Consider which candidates
want to ban snowmobiles, and roads, and SUVs, and outboard motors.

del cecchi

Good idea. Which candidates have stated they want to ban all those things.
Maybe Nader? (Endorsed by the Greens)

To be fair, as I check one candidate's platform on the web I do see references
to
banning snowmobiles from the "most sensitive areas of Yellowstone and Grand
Teton national Parks." That may not be such a bad idea. Do we want to see snow
mobile tracks running across the top of Ol' Faithful?

That same candidate has a few pages of specific proposals to restore water
quality, and outboard motors aren't mentioned anywhere. There is a reference to
revitalizing waterfront and riverfront communities for greater public bnenfit
and the enhancement of commerce. One might
reasonably assume that would include dredging out some of the harbors currently
being neglected and filling with silt.

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
================================================== =====
I couldn't agree more, but what we really need is an effective
lobbying force. Unfortunately the industry for the most part is a
collection of cottage businesses and have their hands full just
protecting their own intersts let alone ours. It's important that we
all come to realize that our interests are intertwined.
.........................................

Speaking of intertwining interests, albeit conflicting.... In our waters of
the PNW, salmon come first, Indian Tribes second, followed by the rest of
us. Almost all of our salmon are now hatchery fish. In fact, many runs
would be extinct, if not for the hatcheries. We have a local river which
floods the valley, nearly every time it rains. They could dredge the silt
and solve the problem, but they won't, because it might affect the imaginary
"natural" fishie's (if any) habitat.

Then the Feds protect seals and sea lions. Their population has exploded.
Guess what they like to eat? The orcas used to come down and feast on the
sea dogs, keeping their numbers in balance, but ever since they built the
nuclear sub base, the orcas don't seem to like passing through the
underwater sonar fields. Waterfront owners are forced to spend big bucks to
ensure that their septic systems don't pollute the water, even as the
disproportionate number of sea dogs are pooping it up, badly.

There used to be state-funded mooring buoys, but the state can't afford to
maintain them anymore. There used to be dozens of gas docks, but Fed
environmental regulations and the associated cost have made it unprofitable
to run one. The closest gas dock to our port is 60 miles away. And so it
goes.

Unc

(Gould 0738) wrote in message ...
I have now heard a few reports from boaters in our region who say they are
finding
many mooring buoys just "gone" from state marine parks.

One boater found zero buoys at a park that previously had three.
He asked the park ranger about it, and was adamently informed that the park had
just as many mooring buoys now as ever. The boater asked the ranger to show him
where the buoys were, and the ranger then backed down to admit they were
"temporarily out of service."

Offical excuses seem to vary between "the crane on the buoy service boat is
broken" to "we can't get the permits needed to reanchor the buoys once we have
removed them for servicing or repair."

There aren't enough boaters to get anybody in government to give a serious rip
about maintaining infrastructure, dredging areas not frequented by commercial
vessels, etc. One version of the federal budget this year called for the
elimination of funding for dredging the ICW, (don't know whether that was the
version that finally passed), so it isn't just a regional issue.

Our sport and the boating industry depend on maintaining a certain
infrastructure.
This may not be the right economic environment to expect sweeping improvements,
but IMO we should all sing out when we notice the loss of existing
services.



I recently took a trip to Pensacola, FLA from LA. We go on this trip
every two years or so. It seems that there are a few more (and/or
better) marine services (fuel, ice, transient docks) and water
accessable resteraunts allong the Miss and West Ala. coast. Fl. had
plenty of service docks but not many transient. At least out of
several that I tried to contact in C. Youngs cruising guide, none had
transient slips availible. A lot of charter boat bussinesses have
taken over. I did find one at Perdio Pass. And the public pier at
Pensacola was great. (no overnight but anchoring off a few hundred
yards was ok). We did find all the other services was top notch, dock
hands there to help with everything from docking to bringing ice and
beer to the boat.

All in all, I see services getting better here along the Gulf Coast.

You got that right Chuck! "Our" infrastructure is in poor shape as it is,
and it seems the Fed couldn't care less. Between fuel prices, and lack of
pump out stations (All the area "public" stations are out of order.) shallow
waters due to lack of dredging, and withal no dock space, I am finding
boating less and less pleasurable. The Julington Creek channal was due to be
dredged in 2004, but is now canceled. My home dock at Julington Creek is so
shallow, I am squatting in the mud at low tide. My Air-conditioner pump is
ruined from inhaling nasty bottom trash.

The restoration dredging of Mill Cove has been placed on indefinite hold
too. (Army Corps of ENgineers used it as a silt trap for the river's
shipping channal, and the once pristine, 50 foot deep, white sand bottom,
redfish capitol of the world is mere inches deep.)

I am wondering if all the funding is being re-directed to pay for Mr. Bush's
war effort.

Yep it's time for "We the boaters" to get on our high horses and make a lot
of noise. Its an election year, so maybe someone will listen.



Capt. Frank


"Gould 0738" wrote in message
...
I have now heard a few reports from boaters in our region who say they are
finding
many mooring buoys just "gone" from state marine parks.

One boater found zero buoys at a park that previously had three.
He asked the park ranger about it, and was adamently informed that the
park had
just as many mooring buoys now as ever. The boater asked the ranger to
show him
where the buoys were, and the ranger then backed down to admit they were
"temporarily out of service."

Offical excuses seem to vary between "the crane on the buoy service boat
is
broken" to "we can't get the permits needed to reanchor the buoys once we
have
removed them for servicing or repair."

There aren't enough boaters to get anybody in government to give a serious
rip
about maintaining infrastructure, dredging areas not frequented by
commercial
vessels, etc. One version of the federal budget this year called for the
elimination of funding for dredging the ICW, (don't know whether that was
the
version that finally passed), so it isn't just a regional issue.

Our sport and the boating industry depend on maintaining a certain
infrastructure.
This may not be the right economic environment to expect sweeping
improvements,
but IMO we should all sing out when we notice the loss of existing
services.