Charleston County waterparks open for weekends starting this Saturday, May 18, Charleston, SC
Click here for Charleston County waterparks open for weekends starting this Saturday!
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CRUISERS NET
Cruisers Helping Cruisers
Comprehensive cruising resource for the Intracoastal Waterways
from Norfolk to the Northern Gulf and Bahamas.
from Norfolk to the Northern Gulf and Bahamas.
FREE to use due to the generosity of our sponsors - please patronize them
AIWA May 2024 Newsletter
Cruisers Net is proud to be a member of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association whose lobbying work is crucial to keeping the Waterway navigable and safe. Your membership dollars directly support their vital work. Please join and encourage your boating neighbors to do likewise, regardless of their homeport.
AIWA The Unified Voice of the Waterway May 2024 Newsletter
U.S.Army Corps of Engineers releases FY2024 Work Plan
with Final AIWW Funding AmountsOn March 9th, President Biden signed into law the first of two mini-bus appropriations bills that included the Energy & Water Appropriations Bill funding the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The E&W Appropriations bill included Additional Funding for USACE to be allocated via a work plan that was to be released 60 days after the signing of the appropriations bill. The bill included the following three mini-pots in the USACE Operations & Maintenance account in which the AIWW is eligible to receive funding:Additional Dredging Needs for Navigation Maintenance – $42.763 million
Additional Dredging Needs for Inland Waterways – $14 million
Additional Dredging Needs for Small, Remote or Subsistence Navigation – $178 millionThe USACE work plan was released yesterday (May 13th) and the final FY24 funding amounts for the waterway (including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law) are:
Virginia: $5.302 million
North Carolina: $26.623 million
South Carolina: $8.52 million
Georgia: $4.028 million
Florida: $4.054 million
Total FY24 funding: $48.527 millionIn addition, our partners on the New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway received $10.301 million for FY2024.
The table below shows a comparison of the final funding for Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23), FY24, and the President’s budget for FY25.
Looking forward to Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25)
In March, President Biden released his FY25 budget. It included GREAT NEWS for the waterway. As shown in the table below, waterway funding is included for every state and exceeds $33 million. While there are many legislative steps before this funding could be used for operations and maintenance of the AIWW, it is almost $5 million more than in the FY24 Appropriations Bill and is a great starting point!
Over two visits in March and May to Washington, D.C., the AIWA Board and staff participated in 19 meetings with Congressional offices to ask their support for these funding amounts and encourage them to provide additional dredging needs funding. We have heard confirmation from Congressional offices that funding requests were made for both mini-pot funding and Community Project Funding (i.e. earmarks). This is great news for our advocacy efforts.
Buying Down Risk to Marine Highway 95One of the best ways we have heard infrastructure investments described is buying down risk to the system. In the case of the AIWW, this would be removing obstacles that impede the movement of products and goods along Marine Highway 95. If we were traveling down Interstate 95 and hit a dirt patch instead of smooth road, it would cause dramatic impacts to drivers just like shoaling impacts our waterway users. Therefore, the AIWA is determined to reduce the operations & maintenance backlog for the waterway and we want to share with you how our efforts are working to reduce the risk to the AIWW. In the chart above, are three types of information. The first, depicted in the orange trend line is the Operations & Maintenance (O&M) backlog for the AIWW since 2017. This is the amount of funding needed to return the waterway to its authorized width and depth (please note amounts are estimates for planning purposes and not engineering cost estimates). As you can see, the overall amounts have decreased from $126 million to $56.5 million.
The orange bars show the annual O&M needs if the waterway was returned to its authorized widths and depths. The annual maintenance needs generally hovers around $50 million with the lowest amounts of $49.5 million from 2019-2021 and the highest of $61.5 million in 2023.
The white bars show the waterway funding over the 2017-2024 time span. This is the good news story for the waterway outside of the low appropriations amount in 2021. The funding is trending in an upward direction over the past five years. Over the past three years, we have received substantial, consistent funding for the AIWW averaging $49.3 million per year and includes projects in every state along the waterway. This level of funding is allowing us to reduce the backlog to match the annual maintenance need.
In summary, our efforts have been successful and we need to continue advocating for waterway funding to reduce the O&M backlog and ensure that projects are being conducted and planned in each state. We appreciate the support of all waterway stakeholders in raising awareness of the value of the AIWW. Please share this information with other stakeholders and encourage them to join the AIWA as we celebrate our 25th Anniversary. Membership information is available by clicking here.
AIWA “On the Road”: Natural Infrastructure Innovation Project Launch, American Boating Congress, and NC Beach Inlet & Waterway Association Local Governments Meeting In April and May, AIWA Executive Director Brad Pickel has been ‘on the road’ representing the AIWA. In April, Brad was invited to participate with leaders in the field of natural infrastructure at Auburn University to participate in the launch of the Natural Infrastructure Innovation Project. This is a multi-university effort, and we are excited about the possibilities of beneficially using dredge material from AIWW maintenance projects to construct innovative landscapes for ecosystem restoration and coastal resiliency. In early May, Brad attended the American Boating Congress in Washington, DC with stakeholders from all segments of the recreational boating community. Hosted by the National Marine Manufactures Association, over 200 people attended the ABC to highlight the value of recreational boating as a component of the outdoor recreation economy. In addition, Brad participanted in meetings with five Congressional offices on the Hill.
Following the ABC, Brad traveled to Emerald Isle, NC to speak at the N.C. Beach Inlet & Waterway Association Local Governments Meeting. Brad took this opportunity to highlight the success of AIWA’s efforts and bring attention to the growing impacts to waterway users by closures due to bridge construction and maintenance. We will be highlighting the ongoing bridge impacts in future newsletters. Brad also had the chance to thank Congressman David Rouzer for his support of the waterway during the meeting.
Photos Clockwise: Natural Infrastructure Innovation Project (NIIP), NIIP attendees and project leads, Congressman David Rouzer (NC) at NCBIWA, and Congressman Buddy Carter (GA) at the American Boating Congress.
BoatUS Spring Commissioning Checklist Prepare for the boating season with pointers from our friends at BoatUSBoatUS Spring Commissioning Checklist
The recreational boat owner’s advocacy, services and safety group, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS), has help for all types of boat owners with its highly popular Spring Commissioning Checklist. A printer-friendly PDF copy of the checklist is available to download and take on the boat. Be sure to follow all manufacturer recommendations for your specific boat, engine and accessories.
Read the full article on the BoatUS website by clicking here.
Join the AIWA and Support the Waterway
Copyright © 2024. Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association. All rights reserved. The AIWA is a national non-profit organization with the mission of securing funding and support for the maintenance of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. We are the only organization dedicated to ensuring the future of the AIWW and proudly represent all stakeholders of the waterway.
Contact:
Atlantic Instracoastal Waterway Association
5a Market | Beaufort, SC 29906
(843) 379-1151 | atlanticintracoastal.orgAtlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association · 5A Market · Beaufort, SC 29906-9107 · USA Be the first to comment!
Phishing Scam Alert! Marine Industries Association
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May OBX Park News: Meet Your Ranger, Adopt A Sea Turtle Nest, Pony Birthdays, and more!
Your May E-news preview: 
April was a month of celebration as we reflected on the impact you’ve helped us make in our Outer Banks national parks over the past five years. We are grateful to everyone who came out to Swells’a Brewing for our birthday party – it was great to see so many of our supporters together, and we officially kicked off our new partnership with Duck Donuts (more details coming soon)!
Last week, I attended the Friends Alliance spring meeting, a virtual gathering of national park partners from around the country. As we learned about topics ranging from environmental justice to how the National Park Service plans to commemorate America250 in 2026 by focusing on inclusive storytelling, I was reminded how special and unique it is that we have three amazing national parks right here in our backyards. As I talked to my colleagues around the country one thing was clear – our national parks need our support now more than ever. We will continue to celebrate our fifth birthday this year and look ahead to what we want to accomplish in the next five years as our parks continue to face challenges ranging from budget cuts to environmental changes. We’ll be looking to you to learn what you want to see us achieve in our parks, and ways you think we can continue to grow our impact as we work to protect and enhance these special places. Stay tuned! See you in our parks, 
Jessica Barnes
Director
Outer Banks ForeverSupport Our Parks 
Our Meet Your Ranger series introduces you to the many amazing people who support our Outer Banks national parks every day! This month, we’re pleased to introduce you to Mike Anderson, Lead Interpretive Ranger at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site!
Mike’s days are busy as he gives ranger programs, assists visitors, and plans projects and events for the park.
In his free time, Mike enjoys listening to tunes from Broadway musicals, watching “The Crown” and “Jeopardy!”, and 3-D printing movie prop replicas from Star Wars and Marvel movies! Meet Mike 
It’s our favorite time of the year – Adopt A Sea Turtle Nest season is here! Each year, hundreds of sea turtles make their way onto the beaches of Cape Hatteras National Seashore to lay their eggs.
Through our Adopt A Sea Turtle Nest program, you can symbolically adopt one of these active nests!
Here’s how the program works:
- Donate: Give a tax-deductible donation of $100 or more to reserve your 2024 sea turtle nest. Your gift will help us fund important projects that protect and enhance the Seashore and the vital habitat it preserves. You will receive a confirmation email for your donation.
- Receive your nest assignment: Sea turtles typically start to arrive in May and June, and will continue to arrive until September. As nests become available, you will be assigned your sea turtle nest and receive an adoption certificate by either mail or digitally with initial information about your nest. Please keep in mind that if you reserve a nest in May, you may not receive your initial information until late May, June, or even later depending on how many early adoptions are received.
- Wait patiently for your nest to hatch! When your nest hatches later this summer or fall, you will receive a personalized update in the mail with information park rangers collect about your nest including the number of hatchlings that made their way out to sea.
A note about honorary/memorial gifts: If you choose to adopt a nest in honor or in memory of a loved one and provide an honoree’s mailing address on your donation form, a letter with nest information and a certificate will be mailed directly to your honoree. Your honoree will be notified of your gift and will receive a certificate when their nest is assigned, not at the time you make the gift. Please keep this in mind if your gift is time-sensitive.
NEW in 2024 – digital certificates are now available! If you would like to receive an electronic certificate or send an electronic certificate to an honoree, click the box “send certificate digitally” on the donation form and provide an email address.
Read our frequently asked questions for even more information about our Adopt A Sea Turtle Nest program!
Please note: No individual or group that participates in this program can claim ownership of a sea turtle nest, eggs, or hatchlings. Nature is also unpredictable. If your adopted nest is lost to a weather event or damaged by some other means, we will assign you a new nest that may or may not be shared with another individual or group. For the safety of the sea turtles and in alignment with National Park Service guidance, your nest’s exact location will not be shared until after it has hatched.
Adopt A Sea Turtle Nest Join us in celebrating the Ocracoke ponies who have May birthdays!
Did you know you can help these beautiful and unique ponies by symbolically adopting one or supporting the herd? Your support helps cover the costs of their ongoing care and feeding. When you Adopt A Pony or support the herd with a gift of $50 or more, you will receive an adoption certificate and a picture of your pony or of the herd to keep!Note: Our park staff will host a public meeting about the Ocracoke ponies at the Ocracoke Community Center (999 Irvin Garrish Highway, Ocracoke, North Carolina) on Tuesday, May 21, from 1 to 2 p.m. At the meeting, our park staff will seek input on the development of a management plan for the ponies and assistance in identifying issues, concerns, and opportunities. For more information on the meeting, click here. 
Winnie – May 3 Winnie is the youngest member of the herd, born in 2018 to her parents, Sacajawea and Captain. She spends her time learning from mom and exploring her island home. The next time you visit the Ocracoke Pony Pens, come say hi!
Jobelle – May 7 Jobelle is the daughter of Ocracoke ponies Jitterbug and Rayo. She was named by the Ocracoke School students; “Jobelle” is the local name for the gaillardia flowers (commonly called “blanket flowers”) which are found throughout the Outer Banks!
Captain – May 9 Captain is a chestnut stallion who was named after the late Captain Marvin Howard, a local Ocracoke Island resident who founded the first — and only — mounted Boy Scout troop in the United States. The boy scouts were responsible for taming and caring for the wild pony herd in the 1950s.
Maya – May 24 Maya is a paint mare who was born in 2000. She has four siblings in the herd and is known to be the tallest and most vocal pony in the Ocracoke herd!
Adopt A Pony 
Remember or honor the special people in your life who shared or share your love of our Outer Banks national parks. When you choose the “Donation Dedication” option when you donate, we will send a special acknowledgment to the individual or family you chose notifying them of your thoughtful gift. Learn More 
Want to dive deeper into the history and biodiversity of our amazing Outer Banks national parks? As a visitor to Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, and Wright Brothers National Memorial, you can enrich your visit by attending our parks’ ranger programs! Ranger programs are open to visitors of all ages — from the young to the young at heart. No matter your interests, ranger programs offer something for everyone!
To stay up to date with programs and events, check out our parks’ online calendars below: - Cape Hatteras National Seashore: www.nps.gov/caha
- Fort Raleigh National Historic Site: www.nps.gov/fora
- Wright Brothers National Memorial: www.nps.gov/wrbr
If you’re in the Outer Banks on June 1, come join our friends from the Dare County Trails Committee, Dare County Parks and Recreation, and Fort Raleigh National Historic Site for a walk/hike to celebrate National Trails Day! National Trails Day is an annual event that celebrates the importance of trails in our lives — bike trails, walking trails, multi-use paths, ADA trails, canoe and kayak trails, and more!
- Date: Saturday, June 1
- Time: 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- Location: Meet at the North End Parking Lot on Roanoke Island. Options for a 1.3 mile and a 2.5 mile walk/hike are available. For more details, click here to see the map.
Make sure to wear comfortable clothing and walking/hiking shoes and sunscreen, and don’t forget your water and bug spray! To RSVP for the event on Facebook, click here. Photo Credits: Haley Heard – Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Mike Anderson, E. Moses – National Park Service.Connect With Us!
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May 13, 2024 Weekly Email Newsletter, City of Gulfport, Boca Ciega Bay, FL
Gulfport Municipal Marina, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, is located in the heart of downtown Gulfport. The marina and harbor, found on the northern shores of Boca Ciega Bay, are easily accessible from the Western Florida ICW, just north of Tampa Bay.
Weekly news & updates 
May 13, 2024 | City of Gulfport, FL – Gateway to the Gulf Newsletter 
Upcoming Events See what’s happening this month.
Senior Center E-news Click here to see what’s happening next.
Library Calendar of Events Upcoming activities at the Gulfport Library.
Recreation Center Click here to see all classes and activities.
Casino Ballroom Weekly Dances Click here to see the weekly dance schedule.
Gulfport Community Update Click here to read more.
Gulfport Arts & Heritage Click here to see upcoming events.
2024 Florida Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday
The 2024 Florida Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday for qualifying supplies begins Saturday, June 1 and extends through Friday, June 14. A second exemption period will begin Saturday, August 24 and extend through Friday, September 6.
Learn More Gulfport City Council Mayor
Sam Henderson
826-7208
Ward 1
April Thanos
826-7138
Ward 2
Christine Brown
826-7311
Ward 3 Paul
Ray
262-2479
Vice Mayor
Ian O’Hara
826-7355
City Manager’s Gulfport Community Update Gulfport Community Update: May 5 – 11, 2024 Gulfport City Hall and facilities will be closed Monday, May 27 in observance of Memorial Day. The Sanitation schedule will not be affected. The Gulfport Municipal Marina will be open, and the Casino Ballroom will open at 7 p.m. for a USA Ballroom Dance.
The Atlantic Basin Hurricane season begins June 1, and ends November 30. For up-to-date information visit the City of Gulfport Hurricane Center at https://mygulfport.us/
hurricane-center/. The 2024 Florida Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday is Saturday, June 1 – Friday, June 14. A second exemption period is Saturday, August 24 – Friday, September 6. Visit https://floridarevenue.
com/disasterprep/ for information and a list of qualifying items. A temporary Florida Sales Tax Exemption for the purchase of impact-resistant doors, garage doors and windows for both commercial or noncommercial use ends June 30. For information, visit https://floridarevenue.
com/HomeHardening/Pages/ default.aspx. Read More This Weeks Events & Meetings 
Senior Advisory Committee Meeting Tuesday, May 14th | 8 a.m. | AGENDA
Gulfport Senior Center, 5501 27th Ave. S. | 893-1231
Visit our webpage 
Gulfport Tuesday Fresh Market Tuesday, May 14th | 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Downtown Waterfront District, Beach Blvd. S.
Join us weekly at our open-air fresh market for the region’s freshest produce, arts & crafts from local creators and a fresh array of locally sourced botanicals along the shops and restaurants of scenic Beach Boulevard.
More info 
Ballroom Dance Lessons w/ Carol Baker Tuesday, May 14th | noon – 3 p.m.
Gulfport Casino Ballroom, 5500 Shore Blvd. S.
$15 admission | $25 for couples
Call 727-798-3660
Noon – 1:30 p.m. Beginner Waltz
1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Waltz
2:30 – 3 p.m. Dancing
Weekly dance info 
Gulfport Arts Center: May 2024 Workshops Gulfport Arts Center, 2726 54th St. S.
Self-Portrait Painting Lesson Acrylic for Adults – 5/14 @ 6 p.m. – Learn how to paint a simple self-portrait from life in acrylic paint!
Decorate Your Own Beach in a Jar – 5/23 @ 6 p.m. – Welcome Summer by decorating your own mini beach in a jar with sand, seashells, and other materials!
Register for all programs by emailing ArtsCenter@mygulfport.us.
Argentine Tango Dance & Lesson w/ Kathleen & Steve Prucher
Tuesday, May 14th | 6:30 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Gulfport Casino Ballroom 5500 Shore Blvd. S.
$10 admission
Call 727-742-3368
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Charleston County Parks’ Summer Entertainment Series kicks off in June – fun for kids at James Island and Wannamaker County Parks! Charleston, SC
Click here for Charleston County Parks’ Summer Entertainment Series kicks off in June – fun for kids at James Island and Wannamaker County Parks!
Sarah Reynolds Public Information Coordinator Headquarters 861 Riverland Dr , Charleston , SC 29412 Office: +1 8437628089 Sarah.Reynolds@ccprc.com | CharlestonCountyParks.com Be the first to comment!
Albemarle Plantation – New Homes with Never Before Pricing! Albemarle Sound, NC
Albemarle Plantation Marina, a port on the Albemarle Loop and a CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, is located just off the AICW on the northern shores of Albemarle Sound on Yeopim River/Creek.
9 New Dream Homes + Spring Incentives
This is your moment…Imagine the excitment of being the first to discover something new…
…and being richly rewarded for it.We’re welcoming the Chesapeake Homes Collection of gorgeous, new
move-in ready homes by offering Spring pricing incentives so significant,
we can’t share them in this email. Call to learn more.Nine beautiful homes with homesites of nearly half an acre are ready for you
right now. Enjoy Albemarle Plantation’s waterfront lifestyle sooner than you
ever thought, with pricing incentives that are true game changers.Be the first to tour these new homes with
unprecendented Spring Incentives before they expire.
SNAP UP YOUR INNER BANKS DREAM HOME! 
Discover Albemarle Plantation | Book A Tour | Contact Us 
128 Lakeside Drive, Hertford, NC 27944 • (800) 523-5958 • (252) 426-4653 The information contained herein is for informational purposes only and may change at any time without notice. AP Realty Company, LLC/Broker Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Albemarle Plantation Marina
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Three Types of Weather to Watch When You’re Cruising – the boatgalley
Click here for Three Types of Weather to Watch When You’re Cruising
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Dancing on the Cooper, May 17, Mt Pleasant Pier, Charleston County Parks, SC
Click here for Next Dancing on the Cooper Friday, May 17 featuring Shem Creek Boogie Band at the Mount Pleasant Pier
Sarah Reynolds Public Information Coordinator Headquarters 861 Riverland Dr , Charleston , SC 29412 Office: +1 8437628089 Sarah.Reynolds@ccprc.com | CharlestonCountyParks.com Be the first to comment!
Take Me Out to a Ballgame in Edenton! Albemarle Sound, NC
adrotate banner=’539′]A longtime CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, historic Edenton always has an exciting calendar of events and places to visit! Edenton is at the mouth of the Chowan River on the northwest shore of Albemarle Sound.
Hello, What is more small town American than baseball? It’s a sport that has deep roots in rural communities, where kids grow up playing catch in the backyard and dreaming of one day making it to the big leagues.
The word alone evokes memories of warm summer evenings, the crack of a bat hitting a ball, and the smell of freshly cut grass and roasting peanuts.
There’s just something about baseball that screams Americana, and here in Edenton kids and adults alike are eager to get to the ballfields and take in a game!
That’s why we’re super excited that the Edenton Steamers season will be officially underway by the end of May when the gates at Hicks Field will open and fans of all ages will fill the stadium to watch baseball dreams unfold.
If you’re visiting Edenton this summer, we invite you to join us at a game and cheer on the Edenton Steamers!
Whether you’re a seasoned baseball fan or just looking for a fun night out with friends and family, a trip to the ballpark to watch the Edenton Steamers play is sure to be a memorable experience.
We hope to see you there!
Visit our website!
101 W Water St, Edenton, North Carolina 27932
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window Zoomed To the Location of Edenton Harbor City Docks
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