Here's a great update from contributing writer Tom Hale about the ice situation on the northern Bay and Coast Guard's safety zone announcement:
As of noon, Friday March 13, 2015 there are US Coast Guard restrictions for vessels transiting the main stem of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries above the Bay Bridge except that the Patapsco River is open to navigation for all vessels. Steel hulled vessels are exempted from the restrictions; all other vessels may not get under way without the permission of the Commander of the Port of Baltimore.
The intent of the restriction was to limit the movement of aluminum hulled commercial vessels during the time the ice was particularly severe in Mid February. The Coast Guard did not expect there to be much recreational vessel traffic at that time of year, and so the recreational vessel segment was not considered at the time the restrictions were placed (The restrictions went into effect on February 17). The COPT is aware that there are recreational boaters who wish to be able to go out on the Bay north of the Bay Bridge this weekend.
At this time all recreational vessels must contact COPT at 410-576-2693 for permission to get under way. The COPT is looking at the impact on recreational boaters and expects to have an update sometime this weekend.
The Coast Guard's ice-related vessel and/or waterway restrictions are announced via Coast Guard broadcast notices to mariners, five times daily at 0300, 0705, 1130, 1600 and 2030 local time, on marine band radio VHF-FM channel 22A, and can be obtained via Sector Baltimore phone recording at telephone number 410-576-2682, or online at
WWW.USCG.MIL/D5/ICE_REPORT/.
(Note: As of noon Friday March 13 the telephone system recorded ice report was 3 days old and is not consistent with the online data.
