Comment Response and More

 In response to an anonymous comment from someone regarding my post about wake boats last Sunday after the Sunfish Race, the problem was definitely not during the race, and as far as I know, no sailboats had a problem. The problem was immediately after the race when Jamie Dimick was trying to retrieve the large orange inflatable balls that mark the race course. These are put out temporarily, only for the races, and are therefore tethered with ropes and smaller anchors instead of chains and massive weights. This makes it easier to put out and retrieve them so after the race so they aren't a hazard to regular boat navigation. 

Jamie uses his pontoon boat - usually a very stable platform from which to work - to set and retrieve the markers. The problem last Sunday arose when a wake boat came too close to Jamie's boat (and too close to the shore) after the race. Presumably all the sailboats were safely off the water. 

While I'm on the subject, here's a bit more about the JPA navigation markers: Because the racing markers need to be taken out of the water after each race, they are not heavily anchored, which is adequate to keep them in place short-term under normal  conditions. The permanent buoys such as at Sunken Island and Smith's Point, are secured with much heavier anchors. However, there have been numerous reports during the summer that the markers are "off the mark," and it is a constant struggle to keep them in place. Even with adjustments of longer tethers to allow for the surge of waves, the calls from residents on shore who monitor them throughout the summer, are frequent. Normally these heavy, permanent markers would only be displaced by unusually high water and/or gale-force winds, because the connection between marker and anchor broke, or because someone uses them to tie up their boat while fishing or swimming. We are learning that the artificially-enlarged wakes from wake boats can lift those permanent markers and move them off their mark. 

That said, the two permanent markers I mentioned above are well out in the broad lake, so I'm guessing that is something we will need to accept. I want to thank the people who call or email me (or Jamie) when they see that the buoys are not in the usual place. I usually know how to get in touch with Jamie if you cannot reach him directly, and he goes out and re-sets them, often on his way home from work or before he goes to work in the morning. I'm not sure, but I think he has GPS locations for each of them now - it's sometimes really difficult to find the exact spot. All in a day's work! 

Don't forget that the final Joe's Pond Association meeting is this Saturday at 10 a.m. See you there!