Report from Vero Beach Municipal Marina, AICW Statute Mile 952
Posted by Larry | Posted on 12-01-2012
Vero Beach Municipal Marina, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!, lies on the eastern shores of Bethel Creek, moving northeast and north from the Vero Beach/Merrill Barber, high-rise bridge, south of flashing daybeacon #139.
This is a great town to stop at for all the reasons others have written about. We are concerned that the town is risking their great reputation by not maintaining the marina. We took a slip here for a week over the Thanksgiving holiday to go off via car to visit our son and his wife. Upon our return we found that the 3′ wide concrete pier between our boat and the adjacent boat had collapsed in the middle into the water taking the spring lines for both boats with it. [See photo below] Luckily we were still able to access the boat by climbing over the bow and we had no damage. The staff helped us move to another slip after sawing off protruding wood that had faced the concrete pier. Luckily no one was on the pier when it collapsed. Had we returned in the dark it was surprising that the staff had not placed cones or marker tape to prevent walking down the now gone pier or called us to tell us about the event since they had our cell number.
If one looks about it is clear this has happened before and the replacement is newer wooden piers. However some of the old concrete ones remain. Why must peoples’ boats and lives be placed at risk waiting for them to collapse as well?
Similarly, the power here on this dock and others is not working at a number of pedestals. Just another sign that the town has chosen to neglect the marina, one of their wonderful assets.
Harry and Pat
S/V Two for the Roads
