Thank you, Roger, for this excellent letter and for your decision to address each legislator – a very good idea. Cruisers Net joins Roger and others in encouraging you to write to the Georgia legislature protesting HB 201 and urging the passage of HB 833. Roger Long is a lifelong cruiser and frequent contributor to Cruisers Net.

Larry,

It was a lot of cut and pasting work but I addressed each GA house member individually.  I think having just one name in the “To” line instead of a hidden list or long string of email addresses gets more attention.  I already received a reply, on the same day, from one legislator who said he would go and talk to the sponsors of HB 833.

Roger

Subject: Protect Georgia Water Quality – Support HB 833

I am a former Harbormaster in Maine, responsible for managing anchoring and mooring as a member of the police department in my home town. I am a twice yearly visitor to Georgia as we cruise through on our boat and have observed boating practices and harbor management in the majority of ports between Halifax, NS and southern Florida. I have also served on the boards of two water quality environmental organizations of which I was a founding member.

I have followed with horror the anchoring imbroglio your state has created not only as unnecessary infringement of boater’s rights but as being counterproductive to both resource protection and navigation issues I used to deal with professionally. The only positive effect of the current law will be to please waterfront property owners. This will come at the cost of economic damage to Georgia marine business. The effects on water quality in the state will actually be detrimental for reasons too long to go into here. I would be glad to explain my reasoning on this if contacted.

HB 833 will correct this situation and help alleviate the economic and environmental damage that last year’s bill will create. urge you to support and vote for HB 833.

Roger Long

M/V “Gypsy Star”