With a closed vertical clearance of 30ft, Ladys Island Bridge crosses the Waterway at Statute Mile 536 immediately north of Beaufort. Our thanks to Mandy Griffin of Downtown Marina of Beaufort, A CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, for this updated schedule.
Despite opposition from Florida’s marine industry, see All Aboard Florida RR to Impact OWW Boaters the new high-speed rail service in south Florida is on schedule to begin operating. How severe the required RR bridge closures will be on navigation is yet to be known.
I love how these morons try to justify their pet projects! They claim it can take up to five hours, West Palm Beach to Miami! I normally do that in an hour, in a tractor trailer!
On their voyage south this year, Vicki and Barry Lathom have been good “Cruisers Helping Cruisers” with their waterway reports. Cruisers’ Net thinks you will enjoy their very nice blog with lots of photos. Thank you Vicki and Barry!
Our thanks to Cassidy Alexander of YourObserver.com for this follow-up report (see https://cruisersnet.net/164359). Big Sarasota Pass, which has frequent channel shifts and shoals, connects the Gulf with the Gulf Waterway and the southern tip of Sarasota Bay.
Siesta, Lido sides prepare for Big Pass court hearing
Explorer Chartbooks, A CRUISERS’ NET PARTNER, has long been the standard navigational supplement for enjoyable, informative, and safe cruising through the beautiful Bahamian waters and island visits.
Bahamas Chatter: “Weather Reports while in the Bahamas” plus 1 more Weather Reports while in the Bahamas Posted: 07 Dec 2017 03:45 AM PST Can anybody provide some information on weather reports while in the Bahamas?
Taking fireams into the Bahamas Posted: 07 Dec 2017 03:43 AM PST Does anybody know the amount of ammunition you can have aboard when in the Bahamas? I heard up to a maximum of 250 rounds per weapon.
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James- December 27, 2017 - 5:12 pm
Late nite and early AM, VHF will pick up Miami NOAA weather stations, and some days your TV will pickup Miami TV station weather before 8am
A CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, Harbortown Marina lies off the southern shores of the Canaveral Barge Canal between Sykes Creek and the Banana River. This fine facility has now expanded their ship’s store!
Our diesel fuel pump has been out of service for several weeks. Our fuel tank and fuel pump service provider has been working to identify and correct the problem(s) but repairs have taken far longer than we ever anticipated.
The technician that will be completing the final re-wiring of the system will be here again on Friday, December 8th. They believe they will have the pump up and running within the next 24 hours, however, this time frame may change.
We truly apologize for any inconveniences this may have caused for our loyal diesel customers. Once the pump is back in service, we will send out a follow up communication.
If we can be of any assistance, please call us at (321) 453-0160 or stop by the office.
Celebrate Everglades’ 70th birthday with 10 interesting facts about the national park.
On December 6, 1947, Everglades National Park was established. Today, the Everglades remains an international treasure attracting visitors from around the world to explore this vast and unique landscape in southern Florida.
The Everglades contain the largest contiguous stand of protected mangrove forest in the hemisphere, and the park is teeming with plant and animal species that are found nowhere else on this planet. It’s an unparalleled landscape of exceptional beauty that you have to visit to see what’s special about this national park.
Old Port Cove Marina, A CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, is located on the western shore of the northern Lake Worth channel, near unlighted daybeacon #7. Looking for that special place to eat where you dock? Sandpiper’s Cove Restaurant is another great reason to visit Old Port Marinas especially during the Holidays!
Visiting Yachtsmen: Please contact the Old Port Cove Marina Office well in advance for Dockage Reservations 561-626-1760 and to make your dinner reservations, please call Sandpiper’s Cove Restaurant 561-626-2280
News Release Dec. 04, 2017 U.S. Coast Guard 5th District Mid-Atlantic Contact: 5th District Public Affairs Office: (757) 398-6272 After Hours: (757) 434-7712
Coast Guard experiences spike in suspected hoax distress cases in NC, Va.
PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Coast Guard command centers in North Carolina and Virginia experienced an increase in suspected hoax distress calls in November.
Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector North Carolina in Wilmington and Sector Hampton Roads in Portsmouth typically notice a spike in the amount of traffic on VHF-FM channel 16 during the late fall, as well as an increase in suspected false distress cases reported on the channel.
“False distress calls incur significant cost to the public, divert limited resources to respond, and place both responders and potentially other mariners at risk,” said Capt. Bion Stewart, commander, Sector North Carolina. “We continue to encourage mariners to use VHF radios to communicate with the Coast Guard and other mariners, but it is imperative that this critical, potentially life-saving tool be used appropriately and responsibly for the safety of all mariners.”
The public should be aware that if children are found to be playing on the radio, the parents are ultimately accountable.
Hoax distress calls to the Coast Guard are considered a Class D felony and can incur more than $250,000 in fines and 10 years imprisonment, plus the cost of the search.
“We don’t take hoax distress lightly,” said Capt. Richard Wester, commander, Sector Hampton Roads. “We, along with our partner agencies, will pursue the prosecution of suspects to the fullest extent of the law. A Newport News man was convicted of making a false distress call to our command center in June 2016 and now faces potential prison time. He is scheduled to be sentenced in February.”
The Coast Guard urges the public to respond to Coast Guard callouts after accidental transmissions. Unintended communications to the Coast Guard are not prosecuted, but require clarification.
Anyone with information regarding a hoax call made to the Coast Guard is encouraged to contact the Coast Guard Investigative Service through the 5th District Command Center at 757-398-6390.
For additional information about suspected hoax distress calls at Sector North Carolina, please contact Chief Petty Officer Jeremy Thomas at 910-772-2216.
For additional information about suspected hoax distress calls at Sector Hampton Roads, please contact Lt. j.g. Stasia Ellis at 757-638-6641.
Boat Owners Association of The United States 880 S. Pickett St., Alexandria VA 22304
You Asked for Less Ethanol With Your Gas; EPA Adds More
ALEXANDRIA, Va., December 4, 2017 – This summer, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) asked the public how much ethanol it wanted to be added to the nation’s gasoline supply, and recreational boaters as well as many other owners of gasoline engines and vehicles spoke up against increasing ethanol volumes under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). On Friday, EPA set the 2018 RFS at 19.29 billion gallons, a 0.05 percent increase over the 2017 standard. Signed into law in 2005, the RFS requires an increasing amount of biofuels, such as corn ethanol, to be blended into the gasoline supply.
“In August, EPA originally proposed a slight lowering of the overall ethanol mandate. However, bowing to pressure from the ethanol backers, the agency actually notched the mandate higher,” said BoatUS Government Affairs Manager David Kennedy. “We think the EPA’s decision unfairly supports the ethanol industry over protecting consumers, recreational boaters, and the environment. If ethanol is as good for America’s fuel supply as Big Ethanol would like you to believe, then why do we have a law that forces more ethanol each year into the market? The RFS no longer works for Americans.”
When it was written, RFS assumed that America’s use of gasoline would continue to grow. Since 2005, however, gasoline usage has not increased as forecasted, which today forces more ethanol into each gallon of gas. To keep up with the RFS mandate, in 2010 EPA granted a waiver to allow E15 (15 percent ethanol) into the marketplace. However, only fuels containing up to 10 percent ethanol (E10) are permitted for use in recreational boats. As higher blends enter the gas supply, the chance of misfueling increases.
“Ethanol has been demonstrated to cause harm to many gasoline engines at the present 10 percent ethanol level, especially legacy outboard motors, decreases fuel efficiency, increases fuel costs for consumers, and has questionable environmental benefits,” added Kennedy. “BoatUS will continue to fight on behalf of America’s recreational boaters to fix the RFS.”
Go to BoatUS.com/gov/rfs for more information on the Renewable Fuel Standard. BoatUS is a member of the Smarter Fuel Future coalition.
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