Chesapeake Bay News

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has announced the launch of its updated Online Boating Access Guide. The web-based guide provides the location of public boating access sites across the state, as well as site-specific details on amenities, parking, directions, and fees. The new site is located at www.dnr.state.md.us/boating/boatramps.asp

“The previously offered data were out of date, and boaters told us they needed more information,” said Lisa Gutierrez, DNR’s Division Director of Boating Services who oversaw the project. “In addition, we wanted to reflect the growing number of non-motorized recreational boaters who wanted information on soft launch sites.”

DNR’s Boating Services Unit worked for almost two years to produce new maps and collect data from local, state and federal partners for the updated site. Boaters planning to use launch sites are encouraged to check the website before planning a trip.

While DNR provides the maps, most boat ramps are operated by county departments of parks and recreation. Contact information for these offices is provided on the new website and boaters should contact the counties for information on parking, fees, and permits, which vary.

“This new guide will help supply boaters all over Maryland, and beyond, with the information they need to access and experience Maryland’s waterways and the Chesapeake Bay,” said Bob Gaudette, DNR’s Director of Boating Services.

For more information visit www.dnr.state.md.us/boating

The Wye Landing public boat ramp in Talbot County was reopened on August 26th with a ribbon cutting ceremony following major reconstruction and expansion to improve public access to the waterway and incorporate sustainable solar and wind power devices. Funding for the $428,000 project was provided by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Waterway Improvement Fund, Talbot County, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

The project included replacing a two-lane boat ramp with a new four-lane, concrete ramp, adding two fixed piers and a floating, ADA-accessible dock, and creating four slips along the existing loading/unloading dock. Solar down-lighting was installed on the pilings at the end of the docks and a hybrid solar/wind powered light pole was installed to light the wharf and ramp area.

Wye Landing is one of the Eastern Shore’s most heavily-used boat ramps. The additional lane and boarding piers will allow for more efficient launching and reduce wait times and congestion. In addition to the new ADA-accessible floating dock, ADA parking spaces were also designated.

Of the $428,000 total project cost, DNR’s Waterway Improvement Fund provided $96,649. The Waterway Improvement Fund is funded by the 5 percent excise tax that boaters pay when they register a boat in Maryland. Remaining costs were funded by Talbot County and a $288,317 Sportfish Restoration Program grant from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

source: DNR

On Sunday afternoon, 7/25/ 2010, the Coast Guard responded to 37 distress calls resulting in more than 77 people assisted or rescued after a severe thunderstorm developed in the Chesapeake Bay.

At 3:05 p.m., the National Weather Service Radar indicated a line of severe thunderstorms capable of producing destructive winds in excess of 70 mph. A marine broadcast was issued to notify mariners to seek shelter immediately.

At approximately 3:25 p.m., Sector Baltimore watchstanders received the first call notifying them that vessels were being affected by the storm. Within minutes, multiple calls came in to the command center.

Damaging wind gusts, frequent cloud to ground lightning strikes and unstable sea conditions began to create a dangerous situation for mariners.

Within a two hour period, eight Coast Guard response boatcrews from six different small boat stations, including Stations Stillpond, Station Oxford, Station St. Inigoes, Station Curtis Bay, Station Annapolis and Station Washington, D.C., began responding to the distress calls. Distress cases spanned from the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal to as far south as Colonial Beach, Md., to include the Potomac River.

Some of the rescue efforts included:

Coast Guard Station Oxford boatcrews rescued two people from a capsized kayak near Cambridge Creek, Md.

Station Annapolis boatcrews rescued three personal water craft operators who were located clinging to a buoy near Herring Bay, Md.

Station St. Inigoes rescued five people located in the water after their raft capsized near St. George’s Island. With the use of a translator, St. Inigoes crewmembers were also able to rescue a Spanish speaking family aboard a 30-foot pleasure craft that was disabled near Colonial Beach.

“I have been working this job for more than five years, and I have never seen this happen before,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Jason Stanley, a search and rescue coordinator at Sector Baltimore.

“Storms can turn a normal day out on the boat to a battle of life and death, in one case we literally had victims clinging to a buoy for life,” said Chief Petty Officer Keith Moore an operations specialist at Sector Baltimore. “This is what we train for; this is why we are here. However, in an emergency as large as this was, a number of unprepared mariners can take a toll and create a very difficult situation for all responders. We could not have done this alone; we are incredibly thankful to our state and local agencies for helping us carry the burden of such a difficult mission.”

The Coast Guard urges mariners to pay close attention to the weather reports and weather advisories prior to and while boating. Mariners should take appropriate action when a storm is nearing by leaving affected areas, returning to marinas and safe haven as soon as possible.

source: USCG press release

Public boat ramps on Thompson Creek and Shipping Creek have re-opened following major renovations. Both of these popular boat ramps are located on Kent Island and have been closed since January for repairs.

The Thompson Creek Ramp was widened and has a new ADA accessible boarding pier. The Shipping Creek ramp was expanded and now has two launching lanes with a center boarding pier. The last major improvements to these facilities were made over 20 years ago. The ramps opened in time for the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

source: DNR

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Montgomery County have partnered to rebuild the Pennyfield boat ramp which provides access to the Potomac River. The ramp is located at the Muddy Branch at the National Park Service aqueduct. This popular location has been used for decades by boaters and anglers.

“The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission appreciates the cooperative efforts with DNR and the National Park Service to design, fund, and construct this project that provides greatly improved access to the aqueduct and Potomac River,” said Project Engineer Andrew Frank. “This location is very popular among avid sportsmen and families alike, and we have received many compliments on the completed project. M-NCPPC anticipates the public will continue to enjoy this improved launch site for decades to come and thanks everyone who helped make it possible.”

DNR provided $99,000 in grant funds to Montgomery County to build a concrete ramp, an in-water stone “j-hook” (that creates deep pooling water downstream from the ramp), place stones along the river banks to help keep them secure, and to create a handicapped accessible parking space. The Montgomery County Department of Parks contributed over $99,000 as well. DNR grant funds are from the Waterway Improvement Fund, which is funded by the 5 percent excise tax boaters pay when they register a boat in Maryland.

This unique boat ramp, which replaces the old wooden boat ramp that had fallen into disrepair, will provide access to hundreds of small flat bottom motorized hunting and fishing boats, and thousands of canoes and kayaks to the Potomac River.

This information is provided as a public service of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. www.dnr.maryland.gov

As summer nears and some 12.5 million registered boaters hit the water, NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey is launching an effort to remind people about the importance of using up-to-date nautical charts. NOAA is a co-sponsor of the newly formed Alliance for Safe Navigation, a public-private partnership that raises awareness of safe boating practices and offers an instructional Web site to get people started.

“Recreational boaters, unlike commercial mariners, are not required to carry nautical charts,” explains Captain John Lowell, director of NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey. “We are sponsoring this new nationwide educational effort because we want people to understand that NOAA’s nautical charts are easy to find and easy to use. By using ‘Print on Demand’ paper charts or multi-functional electronic charts that are updated by NOAA cartographers, people have a better chance of avoiding potential groundings and other accidents.”

Charts can become outdated quickly because storms may alter seafloors, with shoals building up and water depths changing. NOAA conducts hydrographic surveys along U.S. coasts, measuring ocean depths and recording seafloor shifts. The agency uses the survey information to continually update nautical charts.

Joining NOAA in the Alliance for Safe Navigation are the Boat Owners Association of the United States (Boat U.S.), Jeppesen Marine, the United States Power Squadrons (USPS), OceanGrafix and the Sea Tow Foundation for Boating Safety and Education. The Alliance for Safe Navigation will encourage boaters to be aware of the significant and frequent changes that are occurring in their boating area.

As the nation’s official nautical chartmaker, NOAA maintains a suite of 2,000 navigation products that support safe recreational boating and marine transportation along coastal waterways and in the Great Lakes. NOAA and other alliance members provide many tools that give mariners the latest information, distributing a range of products such as print-on-demand paper charts and digital updates for electronic charts.

“The alliance members identified a widespread lack of awareness among boaters regarding the accuracy of their charts, whether electronic or paper,” explains David DeGree, president of OceanGrafix. “The truth is that inaccurate chart information can turn a safe and enjoyable cruise into a dangerous situation.”

source: NOAA

Maryland’s Governor has signed a bill into law to strengthen protection of children on Maryland waterways. Under the new law, effective immediately, any child under the age of 13 is required to wear a personal flotation device (PFD) while aboard a vessel that is underway. The law will also require children under the age of 16 to possess a certificate of boating safety education before they can operate a vessel unless they are supervised by an adult or someone 16 or older who has a boating safety certificate, effective Oct. 1.

“As a State, nothing we do is more important than protecting the lives of our children,” said Governor O’Malley. “By raising the age at which a child is required to wear a life vest and improving boating safety education, this legislation will do just that.”

Formerly, any child under the age of seven had to wear a PFD on a recreational boat 21 feet or smaller, unless the boat is moored or anchored or the child is below deck in an enclosed cabin.

“We firmly believe this new legislation will help us prevent boating fatalities,” said DNR Secretary John Griffin. “Even one boating-related death is unacceptable. We are doing everything we can to keep our boaters – and our children – safe.”

The State averages 12 boating related fatalities a year. In 2009, Maryland had 17 boating related fatalities;16 of the victims were not wearing PFDs.

“A life jacket is the single most important piece of safety equipment, but it doesn’t work unless you wear it,” said NRP Superintendent Colonel George Johnson. “This law will provide an added measure of safety for our children boating on Maryland waters. “

Raising the age requirement puts Maryland in line with federal regulations and 34 states, including Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Washington, DC. The federal regulations do not supersede the state, but the National Transportation Safety Board strongly encourages states to update their PFD requirements.

The legislation was supported by the U.S. Coast Guard, National Transportation Safety Board, Safe Kids USA, National Boating Federation, National Safe Boating Council, National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, and the Marine Retailers Association of America.

Existing Maryland law requires that anyone born on or after July 1, 1972 must have a Certificate of Boating Safety Education in order to operate a mechanically propelled vessel on Maryland waters. NRP offers both in-person and on-line boating safety courses to receive that certificate. For more information go to http://www.dnr.state.md.us/boating/safety/basiccourse.html

The full bill can be viewed at http://mlis.state.md.us/2010rs/bills/sb/sb0092t.pdf

This information is provided as a public service of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. www.dnr.maryland.gov

As Marylanders prepare to take to the state’s waterways and parks for Memorial Day weekend and the start of the summer season, the Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) urge boaters and park patrons alike to exercise caution this summer and throughout the year. To promote safety, NRP will be conducting an extensive statewide enforcement effort during the Memorial Day weekend.

The Natural Resources Police will aggressively target boaters operating in a reckless or negligent manner and/or under the influence of alcohol on the waterways. It will also focus on boaters not maintaining a proper lookout and not having the required safety equipment onboard.

Addition emphasis will be placed on conserving Maryland’s natural resources. Officers will concentrate on possession and size limits of our crabs and finfish resources.

Meanwhile, patrols in the parks and forests will focus on picnic areas, pavilions, campgrounds, and waterfront areas for alcohol consumption, and will educate the public as to where these types of beverages are permitted. Patrols will also focus on underage alcohol possession and individuals driving under the influence of alcohol.

“Memorial Day is generally considered to be the official beginning of the boating and camping season in Maryland,” said Colonel George F. Johnson IV, Superintendent of the NRP. “During the busy Memorial Day weekend, the Maryland Natural Resources Police urges citizens to enjoy Maryland waterways and parks while exercising safety and caution.”

NRP also recommends that boaters continue to use good judgment and take extra precautions during this busy holiday weekend. Boaters can help ensure their safety and the safety of others enjoying Maryland’s waterways by:

* Inspecting their vessel and its safety equipment for serviceability.

* Wearing an approved and properly fitted life jacket at all times while boating. Nationwide, approximately 700 people drown each year from recreational boating accidents.

* Knowing and obeying navigation rules, operating at a safe speed and maintaining a proper lookout.

* Be aware of fatigue on boaters caused by the wind, sun, and the motion of the boat.

* Staying in control of your vessel and respecting the rights of others enjoying the waterways.

* Ensuring that your boat is never overloaded.

* Leaving a float plan with someone at home describing where you are going, how long you will remain, and when you expect to return.

* Remaining sober and alert – remember the use of alcohol contributes to accidents on the water.

During 2008, some of the leading causes of boating accidents in Maryland were the result of faulty equipment, operator inexperience and inattentiveness, excessive speed, and excessive wake.

The Natural Resources Police, United States Coast Guard and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary will be hosting a boating safety day at Sandy Point State Park, 10:30 am to 3:00 pm on May 30, 2009. The day will include demonstrations, vessel safety inspections, USCG helicopter, and NRP & USCG patrol vessels and Officers.

For more information on safe boating in Maryland, visit the DNR website: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/boating/.

The Yacht Basin Company in Annapolis and the Annapolis City Dock in Anne Arundel County have been designated the 110th and 111th certified Maryland Clean Marinas. Together with 24 smaller facilities designated as Clean Marina Partners, Maryland now boasts 135 certified facilities.

“I commend the managers of these two facilities for taking initiative and becoming a Clean Marina,” said Governor Martin O’Malley. “Frequenting these businesses is one way that all Maryland boaters can be involved in the effort to improve the quality of our waterways.”

The Yacht Basin has been a mainstay in the Annapolis harbor for over 70 years and serves locals as well as many visitors. The marina runs a busy fuel dock, its own pump-out boat, and laundry and shower facilities for slip-holders. To meet the Clean Marina Award criteria, marina manager Steve Grace made a few adjustments to existing practices. For example, the marina installed small oil-absorbers in all storm-drain outlets to clean stormwater before it is discharged into the creek. Marina staff also take many precautions when fueling vessels and keep spill response equipment close at hand.

“We have been meaning to pursue the Clean Marina Award for several years but always get busy with other priorities,” said Mr. Grace. “But once I called DNR out, it was done very quickly. I’m glad I didn’t wait any longer and am proud we accomplished this.”

The Annapolis City Dock is a bustling public dock which serves 8,000 – 10,000 visitors to Annapolis each year and also includes the dozens of public moorings throughout city waterways. The Harbormaster’s staff provides environmental education materials as part of every welcome packet and operates a pump-out boat that empties the holding tanks of visiting boats. Also, during a major renovation of the docks last year, several rain gardens were installed in the parking lots to capture and treat polluted run-off.

“The staff understands the need to be environmentally responsible in a city that is known for its environmental initiatives,” said Annapolis Harbormaster Ric Dahlgren. “Earning an award from the DNR is a nice thank you for all we do to educate visitors and protect our waterways.”

Governor O’Malley and the Maryland General Assembly have approved $5 million in State Waterway Improvement Funds and an additional $1 million in anticipated federal funds in the fiscal year 2010 Budget to improve public boating access and support boating safety projects in Maryland’s waterways. Some of the approved projects include: dredging local navigation channels, developing and maintaining public boating access facilities, acquiring fire/rescue and patrol boats, and installing marine sewage pumpout stations.

“Working together with our local governments, these projects are supporting the infrastructure Maryland needs for a vibrant boating community,” said Governor Martin O’Malley, “while ensuring that all Maryland families have the opportunity to enjoy our waterways.”

All boats titled in Maryland experience a 5% vessel excise tax that is directed to the Waterway Improvement Fund. These funds are used to provide grants and loans to federal, state and local agencies for a variety of projects and activities that support the general boating public.

“The Waterway Improvement Fund is essential for continued enhancements to recreational and commercial boating in Maryland,” said DNR Secretary John Griffin. “The 60 projects selected will surely have a positive impact on the lives of Marylanders as they utilize and enjoy our spectacular waterways.”

Since 1966, the Waterway Improvement Fund has provided over 4,200 grants valued at $282 million to develop nearly 300 public boating access sites, complete over 193 navigation projects, and support hundreds of other boating related projects and activities throughout Maryland.

source: DNR press release