The language for the St. Augustine ordinances is now public and available here. And no, NOT that language, I mean the legal language for the ordinances. If you want to comment on any of this, go here.
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I cruise extensively and I live on my boat. I have not problem with having easily accessible mooring balls. I have a problem with the level of the fee. I believe a $5/day fee would be appropriate.
ReplyDeleteBernard Lefevre aboard Papy Jovial (currently in Saint Augustine)
As a local resident and owner of a sail boat I call this boycot whatever an idiotic idea. I totally back the new mooring ball regulations and system of fees for the area being mentioned. It is curently not a workable situation. There are still mooring options available in the general area. I agree to some extent with papy jovial though, lets make sure the dollar amount is compensory and not punative. But I'm onboard let those using the facilities pay for it. Come enjoy our beautiful city, with it's history and splendor.
ReplyDeleteWait until the cost of maintaining and repairing those mooring balls gets reflected in your tax bill St Augrick, as Captn Buzz noted in the comments section of the newspaper - we'll see how much you like those mooring balls then!
ReplyDeleteThere are regulations available to deal with the problems without punishing the huge majority of responsible boaters. You can see them here on this site. Check it out.
I live across from the mooring fields. Prior to their installation, about two boats a year grounded and abandoned in this area of the Matanzas. We also fish and swim in the Matanzas, and sewage dumped directly into the river had become a problem. I have no basis to judge what a "reasonable fee" is, but I completely support the city in creating the mooring fields--and charging for them.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with derelict boats has been solved with FWC General Order 21 - there was no need to penalize or restrict responsible boaters in any way such as putting in moorings, or creating the Pilot Program. As for the sewage issue, you've got more sewage being pumped by the city into your waterways according to some local reports than the entire mooring field could produce.
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ReplyDeleteTo those that bring up the issue of raw sewage, I would like to ask how you know the source. Sewage treatment plants are notorious for dumping directly into waterways whenever they are stressed beyond their capacity usually to the tune of thousands of gallons. Also if water contamination is one of the great concerns, why aren't we as a society closing golf courses? Golf courses after all have been identified as the number one source of ground water (drinking water) contamination in the State of Florida. Even more than agriculture. What about the storm drains which lead directly to the waterways, after all, motor oil is one of the most incipient pollutants than can be put in the water. The list goes on and on. Regarding fees, that is just the point, there should not be any fees. I don't know when free became to be associated with profanity, but this is ridiculous. If we are to follow this same logic then there should be a fee placed on the use of all public parks and playgrounds to cover all that litter and a special user fee should be applied to those that become criminal havens. This all boils down to people who want to control other people and how they live for what ever purpose. Some are just busy bodies, and some are just trying to figure out a way to extort money from other people, and yet others are just trying to cater to a politically connected group and yes there are some that just buy into the arguments without knowing the true facts.
ReplyDeleteAs an example of the sewage issue, while I was in Charleston, SC; the local news reported that a sewage line or pipe had broken in the vicinity of the old navy base and 60,000 plus gallons of raw sewage was dumped into the River and subsequently Charleston Harbor. Yet, an official in the same report stated that it was not a concern since the currents of the river and natural flushing action of the harbor would soon wash it out to sea where it would be harmless. I found that to be interesting and it raises a few questions. If all the boaters including the cruisers on that same river were flushing everyday would it be more or less than the spilled amount? If if it is no concern to dump that large of an amount of sewage at one time into that river then how could much smaller amounts spaced over a larger period of time be of any concern?
ReplyDeleteAnother thought concerning safe water. In the last few years, I have seen reports that state that the majority of drink water ie ground water in this country has measurable amounts of antibiotics and cosmetics in it. Seems like this would have the public in an outrage especially since it is common to see reports about resistant, bacteria, viruses etc. Yet, how many people know what hospitals do with unused medications? Well here is a news flash for you, most of the time it just get poured into a sink where it ends up going to a treatment plant that does not have any way to filter it out.
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