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From: Norm of Bandersnatch (no email)
Date: Tue Jan 09 2007 - 11:03:18 EST
As you might see from my signature line, I am in northeast Florida, near
Jacksonville and by "here" I mean where I am located. The Manatees
hereabouts leave for warmer climes in the winter.
The manatee zone descriptions where I am, although contradictory, do not
mention distance off docks. I don't know what is on pilings where you are,
but here they are covered with barnacles. I don't think anything eats
barnacles.
I have not seen any "accidents or stupid behavior" in my neighborhood when
there were cops around. The closest was an outboard going around in
circles after the operator fell overboard, but that was at night, there
were no cops around, the incident was reported by someone on shore, and it
was about two miles west of me.
The cops only show up to patrol on the weekends/holidays in fine weather.
I can only guess that is because there is more "business" to conduct then
because there are more boats about. I doubt that these patrols would be in
the budget it they didn't produce "revenue enhancement". If they would
come out at night they would really clean up on bad light citations. From
my observation, 20% to 50% of boats show illegal lights, mostly missing or
obscured all-around whites (split or single lamp).
Some months ago someone fired off two red flares inland. Apparently the
flares were reported. The fire department rescue boat is normally sent to
investigate this sort of thing and when they showed up I tried to contact
them on Ch 16 to tell them the flares were inland but they did not respond.
Upon contacting the USCG I was informed that the fire/rescue boats were not
equipped with marine VHF radios. Go figure.
Wakes are not a problem for us from "jet skis or smallish boats" because
jet skis produce almost no wake at all and smallish boats produce smallish
wakes. It takes weight and horsepower to produce a uncomfortable wake.
Norm
S/V Bandersnatch
Lying 30 07.715N 081 38.394W
Julington Creek Estuary FL
> [Original Message]
> From: Pascal Gademer <>
> To: A LiveAboardList <>
> Date: 1/8/2007 7:51:56 PM
> Subject: Re: lv-ab: Key West CG letter
>
> "Those not in Florida may not be aware that the manatees go south in the
> winter. There are no manatees here now. "
>
> are you saying there are no manatees in florida at this time of the year ?
> maybe in northern FL but i've seen at least 4 in the past couple of weeks,
> around biscayne bay. Last one was 10 days ago, off crandon beach, we sort
> off swam with him...
>
> if the manatee zone extends 300' for shore, it seems logical that it's
300'
> from dock ends since manatees love to hand around docks and graze
pilings...
> not sure going fast just 100' from a dock is very wise either.
>
> since most accidents or stupid behavior occurs on weekends, that's were
> they're needed the most. Personally, i'd like to see more patrols around
> here (biscayne bay), I'm tired of idiots zipping around anchorages on jet
> skis or smallish boats throwing big wakes...
>
> pascal
> miami, fl
> 70 hatteras 53MY
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Norm of Bandersnatch" <>
> To: "A LiveAboardList" <>
> Sent: Monday, January 08, 2007 6:55 PM
> Subject: lv-ab: Key West CG letter
>
>
> >
> >
> > I will scan the document when I can set up the gear, almost certainly
> > sometime this week, then send it out to various people.
> >
> > I have spent many hours in this sort of political activism, especially
the
> > Melbourne affair, with very little result so I am not greatly
enthusiastic
> > about pouring more man hours into it, but I will do it "soon".
> >
> > BTW, two weeks ago a cop stopped me and wrote a Warning Citation about
> > going too fast in my dinghy in a Manatee Zone, which he showed me in a
> > manual stating it extends 300 feet from the shore. The "Manatee Zone"
> > buoys are 960 feet from the shore measured by GPS. The dock I was 100
> feet
> > off when stopped measured 698 feet from shore by steel tape. Those not
in
> > Florida may not be aware that the manatees go south in the winter.
There
> > are no manatees here now. The cop acknowledged that, but said he didn't
> > want people to get into the habit of going fast in the manatee zone.
> >
> > It was a pleasant Saturday morning. They are only around on nice
weekend
> > or holiday days, never at night. A blessing. I should be more
observant.
> >
> > And the BS goes on...
> >
> >
> > Norm
> > S/V Bandersnatch
> > Lying 30 07.715N 081 38.394W
> > Julington Creek Estuary FL
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
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>
>
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