Moorings in Richmond Creek
June 11, 2010 by John Kramer · 3 Comments
Photo: John Kramer
I took a ride with a SoutholdVOICE member who wanted to show me the situation in Richmond Creek. He, too, has been on the list for a permit to moor his boat for 8 years, just like the man I wrote about last month. The mooring area in Richmond Creek is a deep oval near the end of the entrance channel, big enough to moor at least 6 and maybe 8 boats. There are presently 2 moorings there, one occupied and one not. I spoke to Jill Doherty, Chairperson of the Trustees, about this and she said the mooring permits were renewed this year with copies of current boat registrations and fees paid. Google Earth is an easy way to record and identify every mooring in town, and I will publish simple instructions how to record the location of every mooring in every creek. If this is done, the Trustee’s office can simply check those current and those not, using the computer in the office. This will save a great deal of time and the expense of using Marine Police boats etc. The Trustees can then call the people not using the moorings, and get them permitted or reassigned to those on the wait list. Do I have any volunteers to help get this problem solved? Post a comment on the website or email me at southoldvoice@gmail.com.
By the way, if you should enter Richmond Creek by boat, you will find the rather tricky channel perfectly marked with red and green buoys, not provided by the Town, but by the very generous and thoughtful volunteer effort of some waterfront user who was probably fed up with the Town’s inability to properly mark a channel and just did it himself. Thank you, I appreciate it, as it is a beautiful creek to visit, but without clear channel buoys, it is too intimidating to risk running aground. I wonder what the decision process is that results in not putting buoys in a town creek channel. Is it to discourage use and enjoyment?
John Kramer
Can I put in a request for 2 pair of buoys for the notorious Goose Creek
“S”-turn? Try heading for the channel – due west after the turn – with the afternoon sun in your eyes.
After a test for spring channel changes, I lay out my towing bridle for the sandbar season and wait for the parade of victims.
Let’s see, concrete block anchor, nylon line, water ski buoy from West Marine, must be . . . maybe $8.50 per setting. Don’t think it will break the Southold Town vault.
My neighbor waited 8 or more years for his mooring. He is now fighting lymphoma. He finally has his mooring now, but not able to use it much these days. Plus the town won’t let him build a dock, so he has to drag his dinghy through the poison ivy and weeds to get to his boat, even though he is a waterfront owner. I have told him to feel free to use my dock (which I was lucky enough to have permitted almost 20 years ago, when it was a little easier to do so). What a shame. I know he has worked very hard to buy and keep his waterfront home too.
I don’t have much time to volunteer for your mooring project (I work two jobs, to the tune of 80 hours a week, to keep my waterfront house), but I do agree with everything you have stated thus far.
I’ll bet they could increase the number of moorings in several creeks without any problems, allowing more waterfront owners to have one. I moor my boat “Bahamian Style” which takes up much less room and causes even less disruption to the sea-bed as there is no swinging in a circle. This style of mooring may not appeal to everyone, and only works in very wind-and-water protected creeks, but it works for me, and allows fellow boaters to pass without me blocking the only deep portion.
I wish you success in your efforts!
Steve
Waterfront owner since 1992
I thought that I would clarify the topic of channel markers. The town has maintained channel markers for the channels leading from the bay into the creeks for many years. But not every channel is marked. Back in 2008, the Town Dredging Committee recommended that channel markers for all public creeks be bought and maintained by the Town. The Trustees worked on a proposal, presenting it to the Town Board in 2008. The Town Board approved it so we moved forward with the implementation. Unfortunately, the Coast Guard denied the applications which were submitted for Little and Cedar Creeks.
As for interior channel markings, I recall that when these channels were dredged back in the 1960′s, colored sticks were installed designating the channels. I think that a couple of creeks do have internal markers, which have been purchased and installed by private individuals or marinas.
Dave