The real Blackwater scandal

[larry w]

Used to macerate

but now Shoreline Marina in LB has a good pumpout station. The Mate and I have the routine down pretty good and it only takes ten minutes to pump.

 

[KennyH]

I think we all should use pump outs but.

I have been on the water in some fashion for 60 years. I think marine tolets have never been a problem except in highly populated areas. However it just makes sense to let local governments dispose of waste. Local crabs do a great job also but it is not much to ask to dispose of your sewage inshore. I do worry about the effect of water too clean for crabs and fish but time will tell if it helps or hurts them. Sewage has been going into our rivers 300+ years. Our local river is so clean you can see the bottom in many spots. This is the first time in my lifetime this has happened. I hope we know what we are doing with this change. I guess the bears, foxes, possums, deer, rabbits squirels etc still deposit lots of their waste.

 

[S Green]

Is that a Baby Ruth!?

I could not help but think of that scene in the movie Caddyshack where Bill Murray cleans out the entire pool only to find out that is was just a Baby Ruth bar.I can't believe how many people have responded to this post that think their s**t does not stink up the environment!Nothing ruins a peaceful sail or swim at an anchorage than having some sewage pass by from another careless or thoughtless boater. What is worse is the results of illegal dumping on shellfish and other species. The one question that I would like to ask is how many of the respondents would like someone dropping some raw sewage on their front porch at home?I have a no discharge system. I pay for pumpouts whenever needed. Last season I spent a whopping $16.00 on pump outs. Thats less than one or two meals!To those of you that responded who follow the laws and never discharge - I say thanks!

 

[spuki]

The manatees did it!

Several years ago when cruising through an anchorage near Pine Island in Florida, I pointed out some suspicious floating objects. Someone insisted that the manatee's were at fault. I wonder...Has anyone tried the Wag Bag system?

 

[Gary_H]

I always

Use the pumpouts even though it is not always easy to find one that is working close by. The one at my marina is broken so I have to go about a mile to another one. My area really needs a mobile pumpout service. I'd bet they would have plenty of customers. I see no problem discharging out beyond the 3 mile limit.

 

[Capt. Sid]

Can't say iv'e never peed in the river

To be honest I cannot say I or my guests have never peed in the Neuse River.As for "other" waste we are fortunate enough to have pumpouts easily available. I think the clean water legislation that has stopped boaters from dumping is more of our lawmakers passing laws so they can justify their existence. Lots of waste from other sources gets in the water and nature finds a way to clean it up. I removed my Lectrasan from my boat when I bought it to simplify things.

 

[Stu Jackson]

How come the law mandates no discharge

but doesn't bother to require WORKING and NUMEROUS pump out stations?

 

[Gary_H]

Good Question Stu

I believe people would be more than happy to comply if it were more convenient. People who have been sailing around for a while with full holding tanks because they can't find a working pump out station are most likely to say the heck with it and discharge some or all of its contents into the bays.

 

[Banooma]

are you kidding? this post should have been started April first.

I wouldn't poop in the street if my toilet failed in my house. I won't dump my holding tank in the middle water other people are trying to enjoy.

 

[Bad Obsession]

We just got a new pumpout station

At my marina. The fun part is it is a pain in the butt to get to and the depth is sketchy, except on high tide. The pumpout is right at the sea wall and it is the furtherest point at my marina (Monroe Bay Marina in Colonial Beach). I am not sure how it will work or how use will be regulated. I have a fear that the owners of the business will even charge the slip owners a fee just to pump out.If there is a regulation on pumpouts then it should be a free service. In other words, if these politicians are really into their clean waters stuff then they should require that EVERY marnia has a WORKING pumpout station and it is FREE to use it. Provide funding for the marina to purchase and upkeep the pumpouts. Then there would be NO EXCUSES for not using it.Jim is right about people coming from Colonial Beach over to Cobb Island to pump out. A lot of the time the pumpout at the Yacht Club is broken or barely works. Cobb Island seems to be the first REAL marinas in the area.

 

[Scott]

That would be a good mandate ...

As far as I know, there is only one marina (of maybe a half dozen that are accessible to sailboats) on our lake that has pump out service. It costs $30 and for some reason, they will not provide the service on weekends. The portable pump out tank on wheels is put away and you have to get somebody to wheel it out. I normally tip the guys on the dock so it is usually $35 to pump out and I have to make time on a weekday.That's not right. I figured that in most sailing waters, pump out service is readily available and MUCH cheaper. I guess I am wrong about that.Our lake is small enough that nobody anchors out overnight (I don't think it is allowed since the entire shoreline is populated) and nobody sleeps on their boat in the marinas. At least 90% of the boats on the lake wouldn't even have a head (either fixed or porta-potty) but plenty of people spend the entire day on the lake. There has to be plenty of whizzing going on when people are jumping in the lake for a swim (I know I do when necessary). That said, I see no difference between that and flushing the head (but not the tank) directly into the lake when going pee.Obviously, there's a big difference between that and #2. Regardless, I make time for numerous trips to the pump out service during the year no matter how inconvenient and expensive. Afterall, it is a small body of fresh water and I like swimming in the lake.

 

[RichH]

MD 'had' such a program

The state provided the 'bulk' of the cost for purchase installation and upkeep. Probably no longer a supported program as most of these 'pumpouts' at least on the N. Chesapeake are usually out or order. Damn shame too as when these sites were working and convenient probably most boats were 'pumping'; not so anymore so I guess we all know where they're putting it all. I like Annapolis harbor where you can hail the 'honey bucket' boat and the charge is insignificant, ditto a lot of the larger harbors on LIS. Naragansett Bay (a NDZ) - its a joke to find an operating pump out anywhere. Its getting harder and harder to be compliant with the apparent decrease of 'operating' pump out stations.

 

[tweitz]

Pumpout

We are fortunate in that our town maintains both a fairly accessible pump out dock and also provides a pump out boat that you can call on the radio and he will come to you anywhere in the harbor and pump out for no fee (although tips are probably accepted). These are run by the Trustees of East Hampton, a peculiar political body which owns the bottom under all of the waters in town and has had jurisdiction over them since a grant from the King in 1686. With all of this ready access, and pristine waters teeming with shellfish, I certainly am not disposed to pump overboard. I eat those shellfish.

 

[Stan Hansen]

were to dump

I hope we as all responceable boats would use the pump outs found in almost every harbor. Stan Hansen

 

[Rich (P303)]

Very true MaineSail...

You couldn't get me to live in Portland, Maine. It has to be the second worst city besides San Francisco. Only here... can the school department hand out birth control to 14 year olds without their parents knowledge.Up here on Sebago Lake... they won't let any body part come near the southern end, as that is where the city of Portland gets it's water. We were going to have a Hobie Cat regatta one year down in Standish... however no body parts could enter the water. We scratched that idea!But yet the ice fishermen set up their ice shacks... drill their holes... haul in the beer... and have at it.I try to do my best... sometimes it isn't enough. I do pee in the back yard at night.We have a pump-out in Robinhood.

 

[Ross]

We have a free self service pumpout at Owens Marina

and it seems to always be in service. It is about a quarter mile from my slip so not in the least inconvenient.

 

[ann onymouse]

number 1 and 2

I would say that those of you stating it is wrong wrong wrong to dump in the water are right. However as I've just heard on the radio that the city of .... sorry but that name would identiy my location... "accidentally dumped 7 million... yep thats right million gallons of raw sewage" into the waters here, and that the cruise ships going in and out routinely dump their garbage overboard, and the fishermen "pee" in the water and that the offshore rig workers dump... what was my point...oh yeh trying to keep the waters clean. Sorry but I think there are way bigger fish in that ocean... and I think that cities are the biggest offenders, next the oil and cruise industries. Lets get some legislators...opps would have to find one that is not on the payroll of the above... A few years ago we had a mandatory head inspection. The Coastie that came down to do the inspection was very nice, but oh so frustrated. Seems the Gov that mandated the inspections (and threatened to fine the boaters)had cut the staffing just after the imposition of the law. We had the inspection, got the stickers and heard nothing more from the Gov since. Most people don't know that we are taxed in order to pay for the pump out stations... but the states don't put the money into the stations so...yes we are required to use a system that is not funded. Seems like the same system that requires out fine young people to go to war in vehicles and with body armour that doesn't work. sign me p...ed off.

 

[Peppy LePew]

Banooma You might feel smug and satisfied

with that sentiment. Yeah you might not poop in the street, but towns and municipalities all up and down the east coast (and I dare say NJ) are dumping overflow sewage into the riverways every year. Especially when there are large rainfalls and overflows.You might feel content but look at the facts and the statistics. One large rainfall will put out more raw sewage in the waterways than all the boats in your area for a year.Ohhhhhh. But the legislatures and politicians LOVE to go after the so called "rich boaters" because its an easy target with no clout to fight backNot saying its right to dump overboard. Just putting things in perspective

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Clean Vessel Act of 1992 funds marina pumpout installations, but

Provides no funds for maintenance after installation. You can read the Act here: http://www.fws.gov/laws/lawsdigest/CLENVES.HTML Although the original act was set to expire in 5 years, it has been renewed and is still in effect and providing grant money to states to fund marina pumpout facilities. If you google "Clean Vessel Act" you'll not only find the link I posted here, but links to s whole bunch of states' programs to take advantage of it. I suggest you also read the info here: http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/Subpages/GrantPrograms/CVA/CVA.htm

 

[Thomas]

MainSailingSoldier

as one of those soldier who just came back, that line you spouted out regarding our body armor and vehicles was BS at best, at worst an outright lie. At no time in human history have we entered a battle knowing every new condition, weapon, tactic..etc. AFTER you encounter he enemy, you adapt. You cannot adapt your armor and vehicles to and enemy who uses new tactics before you engage them. Stop reading listening to the morons over at CNN and Move On, etc...use your own brain.We had everything we needed, except cooler conditions. We did have the appropriate body armor and vehicle armor soon after we experienced the enemies tactics.Again, don't be led.