Submerged Hazard, Loggerhead Marina, Vero Beach, FL, AICW Statute Mile 948.5
This water hazard warning comes to you from John Ellor via AGLCA’s Forum. Thank you John. Loggerhead Club Marina lies west and a bit south of the AICW’s marker #122 in Vero Beach, FL.
We entered the channel to the marina. We had to slow down for a rowing crew that cut in front of us. We were pushed to the south edge of the channel by a strong current and NW wind. All of a sudden we hit something and were unable to move. It was the submerged concrete daymark # 11. We had to be towed to Ft. Pierce having sustained a bent prop. Evidently the marker has been down for some time . There is nothing to mark this hazard, nor did anyone warn us of its existence. The maximum depth of the channel is 6′ with solid rock under the layer of silt. The daymarks have been tipped over twice in the last year because there is no way to anchor the posts on the underlying rock. We will NEVER stay here again. Marina took no responsibility whatsoever.
John Ellor
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Loggerhead Club Marina-Vero Beach
Comments from Cruisers (4)
Interesting no one suggests reporting to the Coast Guard so that they can publish in a Notice to Mariners and also take appropriate action. Private nav aids must have a permit to be erected. The permit is issued by the Coast Guard. The permit states that the nav aid must be maintained by the permit holder. The enforcer is the CG.
Ted Stehle, AGLCA Forum
The Daymarks to Loggerhead Marina in Vero are listed on the Chart as Private Aids. The Coast Guard does not maintain private aids. It does make note of their presence, location and condition and the Coast Guard should be notified if the Daymark is damaged or destroyed to note the hazard in the notice to mariners. Someone in Vero is responsible for maintaining these private aids. The Coast Guard probably has a record of who is responsible for maintaining these so they can be notified if they receive a report of a damaged or missing private daymark.
The Marker Mr. Ellor refers to is sitting outside the channel. His boat came to lie on top of the marker after not following instructions to stay center channel. I understand he had to avoid some rowers that entered the channel yet did not maintain control of his vessel to stay within the channel. Any one wishing a clear photo of his vessel out of the channel only need ask. we have hundred of vessels in and out of our facility every year without any problem.
Given the currents in the St. Lucie River, should a sudden stop be necessary, as described by Capt. Ellor, current can easily force a vessel out of the channel, And, in this instance, onto an unmarked hazard, the base of a private AtoN installed by the marina. The simple step of buoying the hazard shows anyone, particularly those unfamiliar with the area, the location of a hazard. Blaming Capt. Ellor for failing to see an unmarked submerged hazard, created by the marina, is hardly practicing good customer relations.