March 2, 2009

FWC Operation Livaboard in the FL Keys:

An Update

by Charmaine Smith Ladd

It appears to be over.  Gone is the mad rush, hustle and bustle of hundreds of boaters from Key Biscayne to Key West, all busy with last minute preparations for the pre-announced arrival of the FWC performing inspections throughout the Keys.

The FWC, through various media, announced there would be a 3-day period in late February, from approximately 4-9 p.m, when they would perform vessels inspections. At www.myfwc.com requirements were listed as to boat size.

Within a few days of the announcement, no one could fine an LED anchor light anywhere.

People were climbing masts all over the Harbor.  Bought off the shelves in record numbers, the FWC's announcement alone did the trick. The anchor lights are alive and ON in Boot Key Harbor!

The little infractions were found stopping people in their dinghies (tenders).  One person had tied his dinghy to his mooring ball while out sailing.  His neighbor saw an FWC officer preparing to write a ticket.  The neighbor went over and said he would move the dinghy to the protection of his own boat until his neighbor returned.

The infraction was that there was a vessel on the mooring ball, but the vessel (in this case a small dinghy) had no visible all around light. 

Most Harbors of the United States do not require a moored vessel to display an anchor light.  Boot Key Harbor is not within the same legal designation as those areas.  Therefore there is no anchor light exemption here.  So when in BKH, whether at anchor or at mooring, let your USCG-certified anchor light shine from dusk 'til dawn.

All in all, it is a happy ending. In Boot Key Harbor, only one boat (that I know of) was boarded for toilet inspection.  The owner of one vessel reports his boat's Y-valve configuration was not one that could be locked.  The FWC Officer put red dye into the boat's head, flushed, and affirmed the head had not recently been flushing overboard.  Though the officer could have issued the vessel's owner (you should be able to lock the Y-valve) a citation, he did not.

I want to let you know that the FWC Officer was great in this particular instance.  I truly believe this particular boat was boarded because its owner was overhead, after identifying himself and his boat name, calling FWC officers derogatory names.  So guess who was #1 on their list to board? 

And rightfully so!  Saying such publically is like extending an invitation!  Don't ASK for trouble.  Even so, the officer on that scene was reported as being quite cordial and professional.  My captain's hat is off to the FWC on that one!

There was also the report via the media when derelict boats were found in various areas in the Keys (not BKH) while the FWC did their thing.  It's interesting that the majority of the pictures shown in the papers were of burned out fishing boats and sunken open type fishing boats that could not be used as liveaboards.  Yet the article's focus was FWC Officer Bobby Dube saying abandoned boats are a problem caused by liveaboards. 

And the crowd goes "Hmmmm."

The overwhelming majority of boaters never saw the FWC at all.  This writer feels that the every-blue-moon simple announcement of imminent enforcement does more to produce compliance than any number of routine patrols could ever do. Take that from one who was here as it happened!

The FWC handled it well.  Kudos on a job well done.

Charmaine Smith Ladd, SSECN's Regional Correspondent for the Florida Keys, bringing you "The Low Down from Down Low."

And, from another fellow cruiser:

Subject: Thru-hull check
Cruising News: I was visited by a Marathon uniform in Boot Key Hbr checking thru-hull \'seal\'.  All very polite.  I have holding tank but no t-h connection and had a pump-out on entry at B / K. 
Maurice,
s/v EUROA