Pay to Play?
Regarding the August Issue’s “View From the Pilot House,” I know no one likes more taxes or fees, but what if with each boat registration issued in the states that have access to the ICW, some sort of fee to help pay for the dredging of the ICW were included each year. Maybe a small fee for small boats and a larger fee for big boats. Also, perhaps there could be an annual fee collected from any commercial property owners on the ICW that benefit from boaters who use the waterway. Just a thought.
Bertram J. "Chico" Goldsmith
via e-mail
Ed. Note: Maybe he has a point. Like the extra fee paid to buy a vanity auto tag, a dollar or two from boat registrations could go into a fund to assist local governments with emergency ICW maintenance. Would Southern Boating's readers be willing to help foot the bill for a fully functioning ICW?
What Am I Pumping?
With all the comments about biodiesel gunking up injectors and ethanol melting fiberglass fuel tanks and hoses, I haven’t seen much about how mariners can protect themselves at the pump.
Tom Hayes
Atlantic Beach
Ed Note: By law, every fuel pump, must disclose the contents of the fuel being pumped. Any pump, on land or at a marina, that is dispensing fuel containing ethanol must be labeled. If you can safely use ethanol, you should consider use of an additive that stabilizes the fuel in the tank. There are also additives designed to add octane. The news on the biodiesel front is that the next generation of this type of fuel is just about to come to market. Second generation biodiesel uses palm oil as the additive. Volvo Penta engineers are currently testing this biofuel in a Nimbus 33.
Objections to Baker’s Bay
In your May 2007 issue you cover Abaco. Obviously you have obtained information about the development at Baker’s Bay on Guana Cay from the developer. The environmental achievements that you claim for the developers are all under question. Hundreds of acres of mangroves have been clear cut and filled in for home sites. You also did not mention that they have strayed from their Environmental Impact Assessment in the areas of waste management.
Numerous organizations have spoken out against this project and they will continue to do so. Each and every issue of your magazine covers some location that is deemed beautiful enough to be considered a great place for "boating." Ironically it seems that you have forgotten that the areas themselves need to be preserved. There are many people who disagree with the developer’s assessment that the resort would be the most environmentally sensitive project ever built in the Abacos. Please visit our website saveguanacayreef.com for the other side of the story
Troy Don Albury, President
Save Guana Cay Reef Association
More About That Hornet’s Nest There are several factual errors in your article on the Baker’s Bay Golf & Ocean Club and it sounds as though the writer “took the bait” of the developer’s marketing propaganda. These falsehoods have been exposed by the press and in the court room. Contrary to the article in your magazine, legal action continues. Let’s be clear about one thing–Discovery Land Company’s Baker’s Bay mega-development is opposed by thousands of coral reef ecologists and scientists. The large imprint of this development, which is adjacent to a coral reef considered by scientists to be among the very best in the Bahamas, is wildly denounced by experts. The author says that thousands of orchids and bromeliads “were also saved.” This is what visitors are shown. By destroying the mangroves but keeping the orchids, Baker’s Bay will destroy the island’s only fish nursery. There are three endangered nesting sea turtles on the island. Eminent sea turtle conservationists and Jean-Michel Cousteau have denounced Baker’s Bay for the danger their plan poses to sea turtles. The author wrote about the golf course being planted with paspalum grass, but he misunderstands the facts and why it is not the magic solution the developers believe it to be. I have spoken to many paspalum experts, and all of them would disagree with the author. Coral reefs are unique ecosystems in that they require a minimum amount of nutrients in order to survive. While I am in favor of development, no sane person can condone large development adjacent to such pristine reefs. The boating community is aware of this issue and it is my understanding that the vast majority are against the Baker’s Bay Club because it is dangerous to this crucial environment and it is anathema to the qualities that make boating in the Bahamas a unique, rich experience.
Erik Gauger,
Portland, Oregon
notesfromtheroad.com/guana.htm
Steve Dodge Responds
In response to the letters by Troy Albury and Erik Gauger, I wish to say that the views I expressed regarding the Baker's Bay development on Great Guana Cay were formed after considering the Save Guana Reef position as well as the claims and plans of the developer. I continue to find the position of the developer more credible. Consider the following:
Baker's Bay will be the only development in Abaco with a sewage treatment system and will have the only marina pump out station. Everything else in Abaco, as far as I know, utilizes septic systems, which leach into the water.
The density of the development is projected to be 358 housing units on 585 acres. That is one unit for each 1.63 acres of land. It should be noted that build out will probably be 15-20 years, and that most of the residential units will be occupied not more than a few months each year.
Land owners may clear about 40 percent of their land for the residence. A coastal buffer setback of at least 50 feet from the beach or top of the dune is in place, and no docks are permitted along the beach. I continue to believe that this development is better than what might have been done–1,000 half-acre lots with septic tanks and 50-100 docks lining beautiful Baker's Bay beach. This is not just conjecture–the previous land owner’s master plan had two units/acre and a landing strip.
The highest court in the Bahamas decided in favor of the developer in October 2006. Some people think that an appeal to the Privy Council in London has a chance. As a practical matter, I don’t believe the case has great strength. The developer's plans were reviewed and changed by the Bahamas Environmental Science and Technology Commission. The developer accepted these changes.
I find some claims in the letters opposing my position difficult to believe, ie.- "thousands of coral reef ecologists and scientists" and "hundreds of acres of mangroves have been clear cut." I am aware that some reef ecologists oppose the project; I do not think that thousands have done so. Some mangroves have been destroyed to build the marina, the marina village and some nearby homes–probably 70-80 acres, rather than "hundreds." And 70 acres of natural mangroves have been put in a preserve monitored by scientists from the University of Miami.
Finally, I also am concerned about the possible adverse environmental impacts of all development existing and new. I hope existing cesspits on the outer cays and on Great Abaco are upgraded, and I hope marina pumpout stations become standard. I agree with the letter from Jean-Michel Cousteau and the response of (now) Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham posted on Erik Gauger's Web site, and fully support careful monitoring. I would be happy if Baker's Bay were never developed, but I do not think that is a rational hope. I think the proposed development is better than many alternatives. I believe that Great Guana Cay reef will continue to be one of the most beautiful places in the Bahamas.
Steve Dodge