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Feb 23, 2007
Making less of a splash
By CINDY SWIRKO
Sun staff writer
I n case you can't tell by his name, Jib Davidson is into boating. He's got motorboats and sailboats. When he's in the mood, he takes out his kayak or canoe.
So Davidson is especially tuned in to a waterways master plan being developed by the Alachua County Commission to try to minimize conflicts between various boaters and to learn what sorts of facilities are in demand.
"There are a significant amount of boaters in this county, but you don't really think of that. You can't live in Florida and be as far away from the ocean as we are, but Santa Fe Lake is great and we have the Santa Fe River," Davidson said. "There are just some wonderful places to explore."
But the water can be choppy.
Airboaters have created a ruckus over their noise and maneuvers such as "pond-hopping" — skimming over dry stretches between the watery spots at Watermelon Pond, for instance.
Sailboaters on Lake Santa Fe sometimes feel swamped by too-close power boaters and personal watercraft, such as Jet Skis.
Canoeists and kayakers trying to wend down streams sometimes find their way blocked by hanging wires and other barriers placed by people who don't want them on the creek.
The plan is being developed by staffers in several University of Florida colleges. The goal is to try to find common ground among the various boaters. But it's likely some will not be entirely satisfied with the results.
"It depends on how willing they are to be reasonable rather than dogmatic," said Alachua County Recreation Director Rob Avery. "We are not going to have full agreement on some of the issues. Some people have taken the stance of 'no airboats.' Of course the airboaters are not going to agree to that. Hopefully, when we come back to them, with everybody sitting at the table, they will be able to work things out."
UF journalism instructor Larry Schnell, who is working on the plan, said "footprint" meetings have been held with individual groups of boaters such as the United Sportsmen and Airboaters Alliance, the Gulf Atlantic Yacht Club, the Silent Otters paddling group, the Eastside Garden Club fishing group and the Lake Santa Fe Dwellers.
Issues and potential action that could be taken were laid out by the consultants. The groups contributed their own perspectives and ideas.
The UF consultants will now do a phone survey of the general county population. A survey is also available online at http://www.alachuawaterways.org.
Another round of meetings will be held with the groups. A draft report will be written, and several public meetings will be held throughout the county for discussion of the plan. A final plan will then be considered by the County Commission, probably late this year.
The plan will address conflicts between airboaters — primarily on Orange and Lochloosa lakes — and other lake users and residents.
Jerry Weatherington of United Sportsmen said airboaters are concerned that limits will be enacted.
"We don't want to see them recommend that they essentially create zones for airboats. They were talking about creating zones around the lake where you couldn't get within 100 feet of the shore," Weatherington. "We told them we didn't want them to discriminate (against) airboats. We told them we are doing everything we can to help address the noise problem. We've put mufflers on the boats and are working with propeller manufacturers to make quieter boats. We're asking that if you are going to make a recommendation, it needs to be all boats."
But the noise, speed and burgeoning numbers of all kinds of powerboats on lakes is distressing to some other lake users and those who live along the lakes.
Mark Goldstein of the Lake Santa Fe Dwellers believes that as more counties elsewhere put restrictions on motorboats, more of those enthusiasts are using the lakes here.
Some of them are coming for commercial reasons — fishing tournaments, for instance — while others are coming just to run their boats at high speeds that are illegal in other areas.
Goldstein believes it creates crowding on the lake, endangers others and ruins the peaceful experience for others.
The Lake Dwellers are suggesting several limitations: boat speed, boat size in terms of length and horsepower, and curtailing the number of out-of-county boaters.
"Our waterways — because the others have been destroyed, dried up or overused by high-powered watercraft of all kinds — have become a water magnet for people who have heavy boat investments from out of county," Goldstein said. "The effect is that Alachua County is overwhelmed. People love to swim in this lake. It's one of the great lakes for rafting, swimming, laying out. Now you become nothing but meat for high speed boats."
Wally Grant of Gainesville is a fisherman involved with several groups. He heard the initial presentation, and has been involved with other waterways issues in the past.
Grant does not have much confidence that well-rounded recommendations will be made. Grant said it was clear from the meetings and from the questions in the survey that the process is skewed in a way to produce results that will not be favorable to fishing interests.
At the Lake Dwellers meeting, for instance, officials said the quality of fishing is declining on Lake Santa Fe because of motor boats, Grant said. But Grant added he has fished there for years and has found it to be better than ever.
Grant also said banning certain uses on particular water bodies was discussed, a move he opposes.
"I've been to these meetings and have looked at these studies. I'm a taxpayer and business owner. They are wasting my money. The questions are structured as to what answers they want," Grant said. "This needs to be started over. What they are working toward is an answer. They are saying, here is our answer and here is what justifies it."
Robert Hutchinson is active with both the Gulf Atlantic Yacht Club and the Potano Paddling People. He attended meetings for both sailboaters and paddlers, and said access was a key issue.
Just one boat ramp on Lake Santa Fe is able to accommodate sailboats, and it is in Bradford County, Hutchinson said.
The paddlers had a different kind of access issue — people trying to keep them out of certain creeks by putting up barriers. A desire for more designated paddling trails, and conflicts with other users were also discussed.
Hutchinson said he hopes one outcome of the process will be the creation of groups that monitor activities and the health of the waterways and lobbies for their protection.
"We would like to see a 'Waterkeeper group.' They become the advocate for the water body, whatever it needs whether it's greater attention from a regulatory authority, a cleanup, litigation against polluters," Hutchinson said. "I think the connected water bodies of eastern Alachua County can use a Waterkeeper organization. I'm not convinced they are being adequately protected."
Cindy Swirko can be reached at 374-5024 or swirkoc@gvillesun.com.
Waterway plan
Here are possible proposals that could come out of Alachua County's waterways master plan:
AIRBOAT RESTRICTIONS
A curfew placed on airboaters to minimize disturbance to lakeside residents.
SAILBOAT PROTECTION
A regulation prohibiting powerboaters from running at high speeds close to sailboats.
POWERBOAT LIMITATIONS
On Lake Santa Fe, limiting boat speed and boat size and limiting the number of out-of-county boats.
OPEN WATERWAYS
Prohibiting placement of obstacles in or near waterways intended to block the path of kayakers or canoeists.
PADDLING TRAILS
A plan assigning certain parts of streams, creeks or rivers as designated canoe/kayak paddling trails.
Talking Points:
*Mr Grant is correct in they are skewing the questions for "predetermined answers."
*Mr. Goldstien is vulnerable in that the waters of the state of Florida are managed for all it's citizens as per the State's Constitution, not just it's waterfront property owners. If a buyer is not willing to accept this, then don't buy.
* Make alliances with the canoe & kayakers in that waterways should be open for all & obstructing a navigable waterway is illegal.
Feb 23, 2007
Making less of a splash
By CINDY SWIRKO
Sun staff writer
I n case you can't tell by his name, Jib Davidson is into boating. He's got motorboats and sailboats. When he's in the mood, he takes out his kayak or canoe.
So Davidson is especially tuned in to a waterways master plan being developed by the Alachua County Commission to try to minimize conflicts between various boaters and to learn what sorts of facilities are in demand.
"There are a significant amount of boaters in this county, but you don't really think of that. You can't live in Florida and be as far away from the ocean as we are, but Santa Fe Lake is great and we have the Santa Fe River," Davidson said. "There are just some wonderful places to explore."
But the water can be choppy.
Airboaters have created a ruckus over their noise and maneuvers such as "pond-hopping" — skimming over dry stretches between the watery spots at Watermelon Pond, for instance.
Sailboaters on Lake Santa Fe sometimes feel swamped by too-close power boaters and personal watercraft, such as Jet Skis.
Canoeists and kayakers trying to wend down streams sometimes find their way blocked by hanging wires and other barriers placed by people who don't want them on the creek.
The plan is being developed by staffers in several University of Florida colleges. The goal is to try to find common ground among the various boaters. But it's likely some will not be entirely satisfied with the results.
"It depends on how willing they are to be reasonable rather than dogmatic," said Alachua County Recreation Director Rob Avery. "We are not going to have full agreement on some of the issues. Some people have taken the stance of 'no airboats.' Of course the airboaters are not going to agree to that. Hopefully, when we come back to them, with everybody sitting at the table, they will be able to work things out."
UF journalism instructor Larry Schnell, who is working on the plan, said "footprint" meetings have been held with individual groups of boaters such as the United Sportsmen and Airboaters Alliance, the Gulf Atlantic Yacht Club, the Silent Otters paddling group, the Eastside Garden Club fishing group and the Lake Santa Fe Dwellers.
Issues and potential action that could be taken were laid out by the consultants. The groups contributed their own perspectives and ideas.
The UF consultants will now do a phone survey of the general county population. A survey is also available online at http://www.alachuawaterways.org.
Another round of meetings will be held with the groups. A draft report will be written, and several public meetings will be held throughout the county for discussion of the plan. A final plan will then be considered by the County Commission, probably late this year.
The plan will address conflicts between airboaters — primarily on Orange and Lochloosa lakes — and other lake users and residents.
Jerry Weatherington of United Sportsmen said airboaters are concerned that limits will be enacted.
"We don't want to see them recommend that they essentially create zones for airboats. They were talking about creating zones around the lake where you couldn't get within 100 feet of the shore," Weatherington. "We told them we didn't want them to discriminate (against) airboats. We told them we are doing everything we can to help address the noise problem. We've put mufflers on the boats and are working with propeller manufacturers to make quieter boats. We're asking that if you are going to make a recommendation, it needs to be all boats."
But the noise, speed and burgeoning numbers of all kinds of powerboats on lakes is distressing to some other lake users and those who live along the lakes.
Mark Goldstein of the Lake Santa Fe Dwellers believes that as more counties elsewhere put restrictions on motorboats, more of those enthusiasts are using the lakes here.
Some of them are coming for commercial reasons — fishing tournaments, for instance — while others are coming just to run their boats at high speeds that are illegal in other areas.
Goldstein believes it creates crowding on the lake, endangers others and ruins the peaceful experience for others.
The Lake Dwellers are suggesting several limitations: boat speed, boat size in terms of length and horsepower, and curtailing the number of out-of-county boaters.
"Our waterways — because the others have been destroyed, dried up or overused by high-powered watercraft of all kinds — have become a water magnet for people who have heavy boat investments from out of county," Goldstein said. "The effect is that Alachua County is overwhelmed. People love to swim in this lake. It's one of the great lakes for rafting, swimming, laying out. Now you become nothing but meat for high speed boats."
Wally Grant of Gainesville is a fisherman involved with several groups. He heard the initial presentation, and has been involved with other waterways issues in the past.
Grant does not have much confidence that well-rounded recommendations will be made. Grant said it was clear from the meetings and from the questions in the survey that the process is skewed in a way to produce results that will not be favorable to fishing interests.
At the Lake Dwellers meeting, for instance, officials said the quality of fishing is declining on Lake Santa Fe because of motor boats, Grant said. But Grant added he has fished there for years and has found it to be better than ever.
Grant also said banning certain uses on particular water bodies was discussed, a move he opposes.
"I've been to these meetings and have looked at these studies. I'm a taxpayer and business owner. They are wasting my money. The questions are structured as to what answers they want," Grant said. "This needs to be started over. What they are working toward is an answer. They are saying, here is our answer and here is what justifies it."
Robert Hutchinson is active with both the Gulf Atlantic Yacht Club and the Potano Paddling People. He attended meetings for both sailboaters and paddlers, and said access was a key issue.
Just one boat ramp on Lake Santa Fe is able to accommodate sailboats, and it is in Bradford County, Hutchinson said.
The paddlers had a different kind of access issue — people trying to keep them out of certain creeks by putting up barriers. A desire for more designated paddling trails, and conflicts with other users were also discussed.
Hutchinson said he hopes one outcome of the process will be the creation of groups that monitor activities and the health of the waterways and lobbies for their protection.
"We would like to see a 'Waterkeeper group.' They become the advocate for the water body, whatever it needs whether it's greater attention from a regulatory authority, a cleanup, litigation against polluters," Hutchinson said. "I think the connected water bodies of eastern Alachua County can use a Waterkeeper organization. I'm not convinced they are being adequately protected."
Cindy Swirko can be reached at 374-5024 or swirkoc@gvillesun.com.
Waterway plan
Here are possible proposals that could come out of Alachua County's waterways master plan:
AIRBOAT RESTRICTIONS
A curfew placed on airboaters to minimize disturbance to lakeside residents.
SAILBOAT PROTECTION
A regulation prohibiting powerboaters from running at high speeds close to sailboats.
POWERBOAT LIMITATIONS
On Lake Santa Fe, limiting boat speed and boat size and limiting the number of out-of-county boats.
OPEN WATERWAYS
Prohibiting placement of obstacles in or near waterways intended to block the path of kayakers or canoeists.
PADDLING TRAILS
A plan assigning certain parts of streams, creeks or rivers as designated canoe/kayak paddling trails.
Talking Points:
*Mr Grant is correct in they are skewing the questions for "predetermined answers."
*Mr. Goldstien is vulnerable in that the waters of the state of Florida are managed for all it's citizens as per the State's Constitution, not just it's waterfront property owners. If a buyer is not willing to accept this, then don't buy.
* Make alliances with the canoe & kayakers in that waterways should be open for all & obstructing a navigable waterway is illegal.
