Explorer Chartbooks, A SALTY SOUTHEAST 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: Entrance into the pond at Normans Entrance into the pond at Normans Posted: 22 Jan 2017 04:53 AM PST Does anyone know, if the inside entrance over the sand bar, will still carry 6 feet at high water? This is inside the rocks into the pond at Normans, and not the normal anchorage area of the dock. DenO
Share:
Comments from Cruisers (2)
Norman Quinn- January 30, 2017 - 8:33 am
If, by chance, you get in there on a higher than normal tide, you might find yourself in there longer than you care to stay until another higher than normal tide AND decent sea conditions combine to allow you to leave. We sailed our 6′ draft sailboat over there for 10 years and after sounding out the channel on numerous occasions, made the prudent decision NOT to chance going in and getting trapped. That being said, it is a somewhat tricky entrance to navigate as well…good luck and fair winds.
We went through that cut in 2014 with our PDQ-41, 3 ft draft. I’m sure 6 ft at high tide could get through. It is worth the try. The anchorage inside is totally protected but totally isolated. We stayed two or three days. Our reviews on active captain are under Crusher. My suggestion is take the dingy through and sound it out. There was a weird turn at the entrance that was the most challenging. Saw a shark while cleaning the bottom of the boat inside. He hung around and got my attention.
MTOA is joining other boating organizations in requesting donations toward lobbying for boaters’ rights in Florida. See /162138 for more information on anti-anchoring regulations.
Explorer Chartbooks, A SALTY SOUTHEAST 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: Old Bahama Bay Old Bahama Bay Posted: 19 Jan 2017 04:25 AM PST Although Hurricane Matthew hit Grand Bahama with a wallop, Old Bahama Bay Marina is able to accommodate traveling yachts. Electricity at the slips is not yet restored, but there is fuel, water, an excellent restaurant, and dockage at the reduced rate of $1/ft. The dockmaster brings Customs forms right to your slip, so clearing in is easy.
The marked channel from Tampa Bay into the Manatee River west of Sneads Island passes 1ft depths to the east, between markers #5 and #8, and can easily snare the careless captain, as the photo below attests. The grounded sailboat is off the point of Sneads Island.
Off point of Sneads Island
Share:
1 Facebook Likes, 1 Facebook Reactions
Comments from Cruisers (3)
Winston Fowler- January 20, 2017 - 10:09 am
The grounded vessel is a derelict vessel in about four feet of water just off McKay Point a good mile or so into the Manatee River near Snead Island Boat Yard. Stay in the channel and you have ample water. Some of the tightest spots will be at the very entry out in areas between Green 1 and Red 2. Winston Fowler
I am a 8foot draft vessel looking for dockage at Regatta point up the Manatee river. I saw the grounded sail boat off Sneed Island in your post. My question is can I make it past Marker 5 and 8 in the channel or is the shoaling extending into the channel. I would appreciate any local knowledge regarding my passage as I plan to call this home for a few months. Pintail
Living up the Manatee River, I have not seen the river entrance change much over the past years. If you follow the markers there is plenty of water for boats up to a 7 ft draft. Came up the river this morning and it look like the sail boat has been moved off the sand bar. You should have no problems visiting any of the three marines on the river.
Today we celebrate 36 years of protection for Georgia’s special live-bottom habitat that supports wildlife in the Atlantic Ocean and along the southeastern U.S. coast. With your support, Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary will continue to be an area teeming with diversity and an abundance of marine life, supported by healthy habitats in clean ocean waters. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
This report comes from the BoatUS Government Affairs site and was sent to us by regular contributor and experienced cruiser, Greg Allard. Numerous comments on the controversial program have been posted on SSECN and these can be found by typing anchoring or mooring in our Homepage search window.
Add your name to this petition to correct the pending ethanol fiasco!
BoatU.S. needs your help with a petition to the new Administration and Congress to protect your boat’s engine. Please take a moment to help us send a strong message that it is time for the broken renewable fuel/ethanol policy to be fixed.
The 12-year-old Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is a federal law that forces more ethanol into the nation’s gasoline supply. The only way to meet this government mandate is to add more ethanol to gasoline, beyond the current widespread 10% level, or E10 blend.
The current RFS policy is trouble for boaters:
Gasoline with more than 10% ethanol has been shown to damage boat engines A study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory conclusively demonstrated that E15 damages boat engines. As the RFS forces E15 and higher blends into the market, the chance of harming your boat’s engine increases.
You could put the wrong fuel in your boat While gas blends with more than 10% ethanol are prohibited for use in recreational boats under federal law, a 2016 Harris Poll found that 64% of consumers were not sure or did not pay attention to the type of gas they used. Pumps dispensing blends greater than 10% ethanol are only required to display a small orange warning sticker raising the chance of misfueling your boat.
Higher ethanol blends are becoming more common E15 and higher ethanol blends can now be found in at least 23 states, often at the very same roadside gas pumps dispensing E10 fuel. With only the one warning label, boaters have to be extra vigilant to prevent misfueling with engine damaging ethanol blends.
You could face big repair bills 87% of readers of a prominent boating industry publication reported seeing customers with engine damage caused by ethanol. While modern marine engines are designed for E10, higher ethanol blends of 15%, 20% and even up to 85% ethanol, will cause even more damage to boat engines.
Can you count on your engine when you need it? Boat engines that are unreliable due to ethanol issues are a safety concern for every boater. When the weather turns and you need to count on your engine, there should be no question whether it will get you home.
Gas without any ethanol is becoming harder to find The RFS arbitrarily limits the supply of ethanol-free gasoline (E0), a fuel that many boat owners prefer to protect their engine.
BoatU.S. is calling on the new Administration and Congress to reform this broken government mandate and make certain there is gas available that will not damage your boat. Use the link below to add your voice:
The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is a law passed in 2005 that requires the blending of biofuels such as corn-ethanol into our gasoline. To keep up with this mandate, in 2010 the EPA permitted E15 (fuel containing up to 15% ethanol) into the marketplace, but only for some automobile engines. E15 is prohibited to use in marine engines. It is also prohibited to use E15 in snowmobiles, motorcycles, small engines like lawnmowers and leaf blowers, as well as any car or light-truck made before 2001. Click here for more information on the Renewable Fuel Standard.
Thanks for being a BoatU.S. member and for taking action to tell the new Administration and Congress how more ethanol in gas will affect you.
Sincerely,
David Kennedy BoatU.S. Government Affairs (703) 461-2878 x8363
Share:
Comments from Cruisers (1)
Harry H. Stiles, jr.- May 31, 2017 - 3:31 pm
The RFS is another federal law that is damaging to our outboard engines which is wrong to force us to use something that is determental to our way of life.
FWC celebrates 75 years of wildlife management area conservation success In 2017, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is commemorating the 75th anniversary of the wildlife management area system, one of the state’s greatest natural treasures. The FWC oversees this statewide network of remote and scenic lands, managing them for conservation and recreation. To celebrate the milestone and help people discover the opportunities these public lands offer, the FWC is hosting free events throughout the year.
“Florida has one of the largest systems of public lands in the country at nearly 6 million acres, and these lands are the best of the best of what wild Florida has to offer,” said FWC Chairman Brian Yablonski. “These natural communities span a variety of habitats from longleaf pine uplands and pine flatwoods to the hardwood hammocks and sawgrass savannas of the Everglades. Not only are these areas beautiful, they are managed to provide habitat for many species of wildlife and access for people to enjoy hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing and more.”
Florida’s first WMA, Fred C. Babcock/Cecil M. Webb Wildlife Management Area, was established in late 1941 in Charlotte and Lee counties. By the 1960s, there were 28 WMAs. Today, the FWC is the lead manager or landowner of over 1.4 million acres, and works in partnership with other governmental or private landowners on another 4.5 million acres. These healthy habitats are essential to Florida wildlife – both common and imperiled species. The FWC uses its scientific expertise and a comprehensive ecological approach to manage a variety of wildlife while balancing public access to these wild lands.
WMAs provide many recreational opportunities including paddling, fishing, hiking, biking, horseback riding, photography, wildlife viewing, and target shooting at areas with a public shooting range. They also offer a wide range of hunting opportunities including special hunts for families and people with disabilities. Throughout 2017, the FWC will host a variety of events to celebrate Florida’s WMAs. Events include a statewide geocaching challenge, volunteer work days, a photo contest, guided hikes, fun opportunities to explore WMAs, and citizen science bioblitzes where members of the public help document wildlife species at WMAs.
To learn more about upcoming events or to find a WMA near you, visit MyFWC.com/WMA75. Share your visits to Florida WMAs on social media by using #WMAzing.
Comments from Cruisers (2)
If, by chance, you get in there on a higher than normal tide, you might find yourself in there longer than you care to stay until another higher than normal tide AND decent sea conditions combine to allow you to leave. We sailed our 6′ draft sailboat over there for 10 years and after sounding out the channel on numerous occasions, made the prudent decision NOT to chance going in and getting trapped. That being said, it is a somewhat tricky entrance to navigate as well…good luck and fair winds.
We went through that cut in 2014 with our PDQ-41, 3 ft draft. I’m sure 6 ft at high tide could get through. It is worth the try. The anchorage inside is totally protected but totally isolated. We stayed two or three days. Our reviews on active captain are under Crusher.
My suggestion is take the dingy through and sound it out. There was a weird turn at the entrance that was the most challenging.
Saw a shark while cleaning the bottom of the boat inside. He hung around and got my attention.