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    • May 25, 2021by:   Larry Dorminy No Comments

      News from BoatUS: Five Things You Can Do to be Found in an Emergency

      The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water offers five tips that can potentially speed a rescuer’s response to a boater in need of emergency help.

       

      Five Things You Can Do

      to Take the ‘Search’ out of Search and Rescue

      Are you making it difficult to be found in an emergency?

      ANNAPOLIS, MD., May 25, 2021 – “Do I know how to be found in an emergency?” That’s a question every boater should ask at the beginning of the boating season. The answer, however, is likely to go far beyond simply having a cellphone aboard. The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water offers five tips that can potentially speed a rescuer’s response to a boater in need of emergency help.

      1. File a float plan: Telling a responsible family member or friend, leaving a note (on your vehicle’s dashboard) at the launch ramp, or using a smart phone float plan app, are great ways to allow someone else to trigger the alarm if you fail to return by an appointed time.
         
      2. Have a VHF radio aboard — but not just any old VHF radio: All VHF radios are not alike. One of the best ways to speed an on-water rescue is to have a Digital Selective Calling (DSC) VHF radio aboard. A DSC-VHF radio does all of the things a regular VHF does, but it also has a unique press-one-button mayday feature that gives rescuers your vessel’s location — taking the “search” out of search and rescue. The newest waterproof handheld DSC-VHF radios are great for small boats. Before you install your DSC-VHF radio, be sure to get your radio’s Maritime Mobile Service Identity Number (MMSI) that is your vessel’s unique ID. BoatUS members can request one for free.
         
      3. Label your SUP, canoe, or kayak: Adding contact information on the inside of your paddlecraft with a waterproof marker could mean less time U.S. Coast Guard and first responders need to spend chasing down false alarms. This frees up valuable resources when time really counts. And let’s face it, another benefit is that you may get your paddlecraft back after it blows down the lake. It’s also a good idea to let authorities know if your paddlecraft has gone missing.
         
      4. Do not leave shore … without a fully charged phone: Smartphones are part of life ashore and aboard. The reality, however, is that many boaters put all their safety eggs in one basket and rely solely on a cellphone to call for help. Cellphone batteries generally don’t do well after a long day of running apps, listening to music, texting, and taking photos. And for many phones, water is the enemy. Consider keeping your phone a waterproof pouch or case. If you need help for routine, nonemergency assistance, such as a tow home, battery jump, fuel delivery or soft ungrounding, download the BoatUS App that connects boaters to closest local TowBoatUS response vessel.
         
      5. Register your EPIRB or PLB: The U.S. Coast Guard receives hundreds of false alerts each year from these critical safety devices. To free up more time for responsing to real emergencies, boaters need to properly register their Emergency Position Indicating Rescue Beacon (EPIRB) or Personal Locator Beacon (PLB). If you need a beacon for only a short period of time, rent one from the affordable BoatUS Foundation EPIRB/PLB rental program.

      ###

      About the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water:

      The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is a national leader promoting safe, clean and responsible boating. Funded primarily by donations from the more than 800,000 members of Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS), the nonprofit provides innovative educational outreach directly to boaters and anglers with the aim of reducing accidents and fatalities, increasing stewardship of America’s waterways and keeping boating safe for all. A range of boating safety courses – including 36 free state courses – can be found at BoatUS.org/Courses.

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    • May 25, 2021by:   Larry Dorminy No Comments

      FL USPS Comments on Safe Boating Week

      National Safe Boating Week is May 22-28 and, as we prepare for the 2021 Hurricane season, let’s hope that caution and good seamanship will prevail among the increasing number of boats on the water. See FWC: Safe Boating Week.

       

      National Safe Boating Week,  May 22nd to the 28th. It serves as a reminder to boaters that once they leave the dock or ramp, there’s no guarantee that everything will go smoothly to ensure a safe return.

      Despite the pandemic — or perhaps because of it — skyrocketing boat sales have seen a significant increase in the number of people taking to the water, many for the first time. Knowingly or unknowingly, those who ventured onto our Florida waterways are faced with a grim reality: more accidents, more injuries, more fatalities.

      Think these figures would be down? According to the just-released Statistical Report by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Department (FWC), the number of reportable accidents in 2020, the latest figures available, was higher than in any year in the past five years. Not only that, it was proportionately higher when factoring in the increase in the number of registered vessels.

      Nationwide, some of the leading calamities resulting in fatal boating accidents occur from falls overboard, collision with a fixed object and swamping. A must safety reminder is to wear a life jacket. Another is to not drink excessively while operating a vessel. But one essential reminder not often touted is to pay attention. Inattention is far and away the leading contributor to boating accidents.

      A lack of boating education and knowledge is another major contributor to the increasingly grim statistics. Introductory boating safety courses are offered by state, non-profit agencies and commercial enterprises. But there’s another option from an organization which has specialized in safe boating education for more than 100 years.

      United States Power Squadrons (USPS), commonly known as America’s Boating Club, is quite possibly the only national organization to offer such a wide variety of safety and skills-advanced courses nationwide at reasonable prices. Free to the boating public are such programs as “Vessel Safety Check” and online “America’s Boating Channel” described in more detail at www.usps.org.

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    • May 25, 2021by:   Larry Dorminy No Comments

      SC Bill Restricts Anchoring in Same Spot to 14 days

      SC House Bill 3865 was passed and signed into law May 17 and will take effect July 1, 2021. Our thanks to Ted Arisaka for alerting us to this legislation.

      A local government may adopt an ordinance requiring a permit for a watercraft or floating structure to remain moored, anchored, or otherwise located in any one five-mile radius on public waters within its local jurisdiction for more than fourteen consecutive days. The cost of a permit required by a local government may not exceed fifteen dollars. An ordinance adopted pursuant to this subsection must not apply to watercraft:

      South Carolina House Bill 3865

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    • May 25, 2021by:   Larry Dorminy 1 Comment 35.1021,-77.0399999

      The other coup d’etat: Remembering New Bern in 1898


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      New Bern is home to New Bern Grand Marina, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, which lies in the heart of downtown New Bern, North Carolina.

       

      New Bern in 1898 could have easily experienced a coup similar to the massacre that took place in Wilmington the same year, writes North Carolina historian David Cecelski.

       

      The other coup d’etat: Remembering New Bern in 1898
      David Cecelski on Coastal Review Online

      Comments from Cruisers (1)

      1. Millissa Alexander -  May 25, 2021 - 2:37 pm

        We can't thank all of our cruising friends for their support over the years. We hope to see many of you at our marina in the future sometime soon!

        Reply to Millissa
    • May 24, 2021by:   Larry Dorminy No Comments

      SCDNR: Slow Down and Report Sightings of Manatees

      As manatees return to their summer haunts along the coast, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) biologists are reminding residents and visitors to boat carefully and report sightings of these gentle giants online.

       

      — NEWS RELEASE —

      For Immediate Release
      dnr logo

      Boat carefully and report sightings as manatees return to South Carolina

      manatee

      This manatee wears a satellite tag to help researchers track its movements (Photo: Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute)

      CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (May 24, 2021) – As manatees return to their summer haunts along the coast, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) biologists are reminding residents and visitors to boat carefully and report sightings of these gentle giants online.

      Manatees are large marine mammals that reach around 10 feet in length and weigh up to a ton. They’re warm weather visitors in South Carolina, typically arriving in May and leaving by November when water temperatures drop below 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Because of the difficulty of counting them in murky waters, South Carolina’s manatee population is currently unknown – but it’s a small fraction of the United States’ estimated 6,600 animals, most of which live in Florida. Due to federal and state protections, it’s illegal to hunt, play with or harass manatees, which includes touching, providing water to or attempting to feed them.

      Biologists with the Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute have been tagging rescued manatees in an effort to study their migration habits outside the state of Florida. A number of tagged animals have already made their way to our waters, including ones bearing satellite transmitters. Tagged manatees wear a “belt” around the base of their tails and trail a floating satellite transmitter that collects and sends information about the animal’s location (see photo). The tags are harmless to the animal and designed to break free in case of entanglement. Officials ask that members of the public do not pull or tamper with these tags – they’re providing valuable information to help wildlife researchers better understand and protect these mammals.

      There are several ways members of the public can help South Carolina’s manatees. SCDNR staff encourage anyone to report sightings and provide photographs (if possible) of live manatees online. Photographs of scars on manatees’ backs and tails are particularly useful, because they can often be used to identify previously known individuals. However, manatees should never be approached to obtain pictures.

      Injured or dead manatees should be reported immediately to the SCDNR wildlife hotline at 1-800-922-5431. If a boat accidentally collides with a manatee, SCDNR biologists ask that the boater stand by and immediately contact SCDNR or the U.S. Coast Guard on VHF Channel 16. Doing so provides biologists the best chance to help the animal and gather valuable scientific data.

      In addition to reporting sightings, coastal residents and visitors can help manatees by staying alert while on the water and avoiding harmful interactions with the animals.

      “Feeding and watering manatees encourages the animals to spend time at docks and marinas, making them more susceptible to boat strikes. In addition to being one of the main causes of mortality for manatees, it is also illegal,” said USFWS biologist Melanie Olds. The manatee is protected under federal law by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 and by the Endangered Species Act of 1973, which makes it illegal to harass, hunt, capture or kill any marine mammal. Conviction at the federal level is punishable by fine of up to $50,000 and/or one year in prison.   

      Collisions between boaters and manatees are more likely to occur in shallow waters, particularly around docks and at the edge of marshes where manatees feed. Staying alert, following safe boating practices and maintaining lower speeds in these areas can reduce the risk of a collision. Boaters should also watch for manatee backs, tails, snouts and “footprints” – a series of round swirls on the surface caused by a swimming manatee’s tail.

      For 44 years, the Florida manatee was protected as “endangered” under the federal Endangered Species Act. In March of 2017, as a result of increasing numbers and improving habitat, USFWS reclassified their status as “threatened.” Manatees are still protected under federal and South Carolina law and face a number of threats on their continued path to recovery. The greatest dangers to the species include boat strikes, entanglement in fishing gear and harmful algal blooms known as red tides.

      manatee2

      This map shows an example of the location data collected by the Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute from satellite-tagged manatees.

      Tips for Being Manatee Friendly in South Carolina:

      • Dock owners should never feed manatees or give them fresh water. This could teach the animals to approach docks, putting them at greater risk of a boat strike, and it is illegal.
      • Never pursue, harass or play with manatees. It is bad for the manatees and is illegal.
      • Boaters should look around for manatees before cranking your boat’s motor and watch for large swirls in the water, or “footprints,” that may be caused by manatees diving away from the boat.
      • Heed “slow speed,” “no wake” and manatee warning signs, especially around docks. Use caution when navigating in shallow water and along the edge of a marsh.  Manatees cannot dive away from boats in these areas.
      • Wear polarized sunglasses to reduce glare, making it easier to spot manatees below the surface.

      For additional information, contact:

      Erin Weeks at (843) 953-9845

      WeeksE@dnr.sc.gov

      South Carolina Department of Natural Resources – Rembert C. Dennis Building
      1000 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC 29201

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    • May 24, 2021by:   Larry Dorminy 1 Comment 27.4689,-82.69229999

      Shared Photo – Cortez Bridge on a Lazy Sunday Afternoon


       View In Chartview

      With all the headaches cruisers have with bridge congestion and delayed openings, Greg Allard thinks it is time for a little humor. Cortez Bridge crosses the GIWW at Statute Mile 87.5.

       

       

       

       

      Click Here To View the Cruisers Net Western Florida Bridge Directory Listing For The Cortez Bridge

       

      Comments from Cruisers (1)

      1. Greg Allard -  May 24, 2021 - 11:58 am

        We were waiting for a bridge opening; when it came, the armada of small boats continued to surge en-masse through the opening bridge. I decided that the only way safely through (since our boat was in a current sweeping us towards the bridge) – was to sound five blasts of the horn as we proceeded through. I guess the gnats realized that “might makes right”, and they cleared a path. There was one sailboat also waiting; since he arrived first at the bridge, I asked him if he would prefer for us to go first. He said; “Oh – please – be my guest.” I think he considered himself a quarterback running with the ball, and fortunate to have a huge blocker in front of him, clearing the path!

        We usually do our best to avoid traveling in any ICW on a weekend. We broke the rule this time. Never again.

        Greg

        Reply to Greg
    • May 24, 2021by:   Larry Dorminy No Comments

      SCDNR Offering Courtesy Boat Inspections May 29-31, Various Locations

      To help prepare for the Memorial Day holiday weekend, SCDNR will be holding courtesy boat inspections across the state.

       

      —- NEWS RELEASE —-

      For Immediate Release
      dnr logo

       

      SCDNR to hold courtesy boat inspections during Memorial Day holiday weekend

       

      COLUMBIA, S.C. (May 24, 2021) — To help prepare for the Memorial Day holiday weekend, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) Law Enforcement Division will be holding courtesy boat inspections at public boat landings across the state.

      SCDNR officers will perform a quick, but thorough, inspection of your boat to make sure you have the required safety equipment and proper boat and motor registration for your watercraft before you launch. These inspections are completely voluntary and are not required before launching.

      Boaters who take advantage of the inspection and are found to not be in compliance with safety regulations or registration requirements  will not be ticketed during the complimentary inspections. Instead, boaters will be given an opportunity to correct the problem before they launch their boat.

      SCDNR officers will also be available to answer questions and give boaters tips on how to stay safe on the water.

      DateLandingTimeCounty
      5/29Johnnie Causey Landing – ICW10 a.m. to noon Horry 
      5/29 Lake Murray Dam10 a.m. to noonLexington
       5/30 
       
      River Forks Boat Ramp – Lake Hartwell
       
      		2 to 4 p.m.Anderson
       5/30 
       
      Battery Creek Landing – Battery Creek
       
      		10 a.m. to noonBeaufort
      5/30
       
      Easterling Landing – Lake Robinson
       
      		11 a.m. to 1 p.m.Darlington
      5/30
       
      Dreher Island Landing
       
      		10 a.m. to noonLexington
      5/30
       
      Ebenezer Park – Lake Wylie
       
      		12 to 2 p.m.York
      5/31
       
      Wapoo Cut Landing – ICW
       
      		10 a.m. to noon Charleston 
      5/31
       
      Alex Harvin Landing – Lake Marion
       
      		10 a.m. to noonClarendon
      5/31
       
       Greenwood State Park – Lake Greenwood 
       
      		10 a.m. to noonGreenwood
      5/31
       
      Clearwater Cove – Lake Wateree
       
      		12 to 2 p.m.Kershaw
      5/31
       
      Dorn Landing – Lake Thurmond
       
      		10 a.m. to noonMcCormick
      5/31
       
      Twelve Mile Landing – Lake Hartwell
       
      		10 a.m. to noonPickens
      South Carolina Department of Natural Resources – Rembert C. Dennis Building
      1000 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC 29201

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    • May 21, 2021by:   Larry Dorminy No Comments 30.8466,-81.47749999

      More Reason to Oppose Spaceport Camden, Cumberland Island, GA


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      Spaceport Camden is a proposal to build a rocket launch facility in Camden County, Georgia. Our thanks to Ted Arisaka of Save Georgia’s Anchorages for sharing this information. See A Call for More Study and Monthly Closures of St. Andrews Sound.
       

      There’s a reason why launches take place directly at the water’s edge. Rockets fail. Debris falls. Fires rage.
      Spaceport Camden will have to launch over Cumberland Island and Little Cumberland Island to reach open water.
      Ted Arisaka

       

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    • May 21, 2021by:   Larry Dorminy 3 Comments

      An Interesting Day by Jim Healy

      Jim and Peg Healy are full-time cruisers and very experienced boaters who regularly ply the waters of the Intracoastal Waterways. Our thanks to Jim for sharing this adventure! Editor’s note: the links inserted below are from Cruisers Net’s library of postings.

       

      Sanctuary and crew came through the bridge Tuesday, 5/18. Following is my report to family and friends list,

      “The best of times; the worst of times!” 

      Today was an “interesting” day. 

      The goal was to cross Lake Okeechobee (success) in the early morning (success) to avoid strong winds (success). We departed Clewiston at 06h05, and got to witness the birth of the new day:

      The Indiantown RR Bridge is undergoing an extensive renovation. (See Temporary Opening Deviation.),  Our plan was to run the 36 miles from Clewiston to the Indiantown RR Bridge to arrive by the bridge opening at 11h00. So all throughout our crossing, “the computer” said we were “on plan” to arrive at Indiantown at 10h30. That gave me 1/2 hour “slop” to get through the lock at Port Mayaca. Getting through the lock all worked fine. 

      Well… Then it got interesting… Really interesting…

      About one mile east of the lock at Port Mayaca is the RR lift bridge that stops sailboats from using the lake crossing. It’s 49 feet open. And as we were pulling up to it, it closed. Closed, we can’t get through. Oh, crap! That’s not in the plan…

      And of course, no phone number posted, and no response on VHF09. Just a closed bridge and utter silence…

      After some minutes, I called the Port Mayaca lockmaster, who says “a train must be coming;” but, dead silence; except my wailing. So, I then called the Indiantown RR Bridge to ask why his colleagues closed on me. He reports it’s a different RR company that runs that bridge, and he doesn’t have the number for them. But, he know we’re coming, and he said, “don’t panic yet!” Or was it, “don’t panic; yet!” 

      So now I’m fumbling around looking for a phone number for the US Sugar RR Bridge (FEC owned) dispatcher. All of a sudden, there were horns sounding, and two guys in hardhat and safety vest came out onto the bridge. They look at me and then at each other and then back at me. Bewilderment all ’round…  

      And then, a miracle happened…. all of a sudden, the bridge begins to open. There’s no damn train. These bozos just closed the bridge without checking for boat traffic.  As we used to say in the city, “Oye veh!”

      OK. Now it’s petal to the metal to make Indiantown. Sanctuary arrived at the Indiantown bridge at 11h05… Having tested the engine’s cooling system (success) for that hour…

      …To a long line of boats backed up in both directions. So we waited about 15 minutes for the bridge to open. This morning, both the eastbound and westbound draws were open, so traffic made it through smoothly. The bridge is that big, black hulk in the center of the picture… 

      There was one poor sailboat I felt badly for. We were at the end of the line (literally). In the picture, in the distance to the right of the bozo with the dinghy, you can just about see the sailboat. He’d anchored there for the night, waiting for the opening. When it came time to haul the anchor and move through the bridge, his anchor was foul and he couldn’t get it up. When we went through, he was in his dinghy and his lady was on the bow and they were working hard to get freed up. And of course, the bridge is asking them if they plan to come through. I was focused on the traffic, but Peg tells me they made it…  Don’t know if they freed the anchor or abandoned it…  

      It was an interesting day!

      – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

      AND BY THE WAY, the bridge on the St. Lucie River at Stuart – the “Roosevelt Bridge” – used to be “on request.” It was “temporarily restricted” because of high rise bridge repairs, but was supposed to return to “on request” status. Well, folks… The Roosevelt Bridge is now PERMANENTLY restricted during the day. (See Update: Old Roosevelt Bridge Change of Schedule.) What used to be one of the easiest bridge on the east coast has turned nasty. Their opening schedule varies during “commuter” hours, but during the day, every 1/2 hour on the hour and half-hour. Those of you who know that bridge know there is a single leaf RR bascule immediately next to the Roosevelt Bridge. If the RR bridge there closes, you can be hosed, because that would cause you to miss Roosevelt’s next upcoming scheduled opening. Be attentive there, and be sure to have your patience stores fully stocked, especially in the afternoon when there are more trains. It’s a very busy area, right off a marina (Sunset Bay) and mooring field, and a lot of residential surroundings. Patience is not a plentiful commodity amongst the locals in that area.

      LETTERS to the mayor of Stuart and the USCG Bridge Division are appropriate. The Okeechobee Waterway conditions there are very difficult, and made worse by those bridge restrictions.

      Jim

      Monk 36 Hull #132

      Click Here To View the Cruisers Net Okeechobee Bridge Directory Listing For Mayaca Railway Lift Bridge

      Comments from Cruisers (3)

      1. Greg Allard -  May 24, 2021 - 11:27 am

        Jim – I have not been able, with a little research, to find anything which officially codifies the right of the bridge operator to proceed with a delayed opening "off schedule." If I can find it, I will post the link to it. But we did observe it happen several times (from Sunset Bay marina).

        Both bridge operators I spoke with also said that in their experience, if a second train is planned to come through within 15 minutes of the first, then the RR will leave their bridge down. Again, the bridge operators have no way knowing if there is a second train.

        I fully agree with you that this continues to be a dangerous situation. Those bridges in Stuart are without question a high-traffic and potentially dangerous area. With reduced openings, the boats pile up on either side of the bridges, waiting for an opening. Once the bridges are open, it is bedlam, since there is no "pecking order": boats enter from both sides simultaneously, and the pinch-point is at the RR bridge, which is extremely narrow. Very few boats yield. I would like to see a procedure where the bridge operator directs the order of passage for the waiting boats: "All westbound boats will go through the bridges first."

        Cruise safely.

        Best regards

        Greg Allard

        Reply to Greg
      2. Jim Healy -  May 22, 2021 - 12:20 pm

        Hi Greg,

        Thanks for the reply. Do you happen to know if that word-of-mouth procedure is actually documented anywhere? It looks like both FDOT and the USCG both had to sign-off on permitting that change to become permanent. I would assume that agreement language was in the approved/adopted change order. I would feel slightly better with that. I have been trapped at that bridge by trains, and although they say that they raise the bridge after a train has gone through, I found from my infinitesimally small sample size that is not always the case. It depends on the discipline of the RR dispatcher, and it may not happen if another train is coming through in short order. Add a fixed schedule at Roosevelt Bridge to that mix, and the lack of communications with the RR company and the Roosevelt bridge, and the result is not good for cruisers OR LOCAL TRAFFIC. I can't imagine how that change got approved. I would think local people would have been in revolt. That's why I question whether there was ever a public comment period.

        Reply to Jim
      3. Greg Allard -  May 22, 2021 - 6:45 am

        Jim – Great report – but not so much fun for you in trying to make the reduced schedule at Indiantown. Another example of how the Okeechobee crossing can often have some unpredictable moments.

        One comment on the Stuart bridges (adjacent to Sunset Bay Marina). We came through them a couple of times in in March and May, and I spoke to two of the bridge operators of the Old Roosevelt Bridge (which is the one which needs to open.) They said that if the regularly scheduled time for their bridge to open could not occur because the RR bridge was down, as soon as the RR bridge opened, they would proceed with an opening of the Old Roosevelt Bridge for waiting boats, even if it was past the scheduled opening.

        The bridge operators stated that they have no idea when the RR bridge will open or close. There is no regular schedule, and they have no communication with the RR about when the trains are due. The only notice they have is some flashing lights and horn which will apparently sound when the RR bridge will soon go down.

        Enjoy the rest of your cruise.

        Reply to Greg

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