Unmarked Hazards

[Chaz Hickcox]

So in the last six months or so I have found the sunken barges on North Landing River with the hull of my boat. Fortunately the only cost of this was some dings that are not serious damage. I just called the Virginia Marine Resource Commission and spoke with one of their engineers about it. I also sent him an email about it. My issue is not that they are there, but the fact that they are not marked. Has anyone had the same issue? Here are some photos of one of the places in question.

[Grey Wolf]

What was their answer to you.

[Chaz Hickcox]

Normal Bureaucratic response, 'I will pass this along.'

[Grey Wolf]

WHAT A SHAME.

[Micro]

Neither the DGIF nor the VA Marine Commission mark any hazards.  I've never seen a hazard marked.  Most times, you find out about them by hitting them.

I went out on a head boat on a company trip a few years ago and on the way out of the harbor in Hampton the boat hit one of these hazards and ended up breaking a propeller blade.   

[Dan:]

take some string and an empty bottle of laundry detergent next time. Maybe you can help prevent something serious from happening.

[Chaz Hickcox]

If they don't mark this stuff, then what are we paying for with our taxes? To be honest I have found in a lot of my travels around the world is that things don't really change because 90% of the time people don't think they can do anything. To me, and I am a new resident here in VA, this is some pretty serious neglect by the resources commission. They spend a lot of money on these 'wildlife refuge' areas, but can't put a stinkin hazard bouy on something that was intentionally sunken? The tax money is in somebody's pocket, doesn't seem to be the Bouy Maker's. Basically, Dan and Micro are also residents of Va, and it's clearly not isolated. VOTE, call your district reps, DO SOMETHING. I have a lawyer friend out here, I will be talking to her too. I would be dammed if Az allowed this sort of thing to happen. Grant it there's not as much water out there, but they mark everything to include rocks. I don't expect that, I expect to see MANMADE stuff marked. It's only resonable and prudent for them to do so.

[Dan:]

How much money do you think they have? I'd be willing to venture a guess that the VDGIF is probably one of the most underfunded and overstretched agencies in the state.

But yes, I agree that they should have marked items that are sunk and permanent. I just don't think they have enough resources to do all the things they should, especially now that the state is cutting funding for just about everything.

[Chaz Hickcox]

How much money do you think they have? I'd be willing to venture a guess that the VDGIF is probably one of the most underfunded and overstretched agencies in the state.

But yes, I agree that they should have marked items that are sunk and permanent. I just don't think they have enough resources to do all the things they should, especially now that the state is cutting funding for just about everything.

We happen to live in a Commonwealth, which is basically the heart of all the issues here and pretty much all over the east coast.  Also, they could petition for different things to the Fed.  I am not a big fan of Fed money, but here's the deal.  The waterways in and around Norfolk, Va Bch, and the Patomac are either major destinations or thouroughfares (like North Landing River AKA Intracoatsal Waterway) which impact interstate commerce.  Under the intersate commerce act it would be prudent for the Fed to supply some, not all, money in order to properly mark hazards within Va waters which would be traversed on a regular basis by residents of other states.  As far as the money DGIF has, that's not an issue.  It's not a Game and Fish issue.  Has nothing to do with them, but it does have something to do with the general infrastructure of the state, as well as the safety and well being of the citizens.  All they would have to do is spend money on a couple 2x4x10ft poles and put the diamond hazard marker on it and put one on either end of the wreck.  $20 then send a salary paid ranger who works at North Landing River Wildlife Sanctuary (Less than a mile away), and mark the things.  Common sense, not defeatism. 

[bowfish12]

If they don't mark this stuff, then what are we paying for with our taxes?

Soon to be Elk restoratoration and probably places for people to look at birds.

We don't have that much of a problem with stuff not being marked in TN. But the Corps doesn't care about fishing, and TWRA only caters to certain types of hunting(deer, elk, and turkey).

[aarogb]

There is a mountain of dirt in the Haw River near Jordan Lake that is visible now since we haven't had rain in weeks and 3 cities are using it for water.  But when the water level was higher, I saw a few boats get to close for comfort. 

Nosotros bent our prop on a chimmney of an old house that was barely under water.  Caused $2,500.00 worth of damage.

Can't really blame them though, the water level was really low.

[quanjig]

That truly is unfortunate, but we all have to make sure that we are familar with our surroundings when on the water and due diligence is required. Are maps redily availible for that area? Are there channel markers? Not having fished that area, I would do everything in my power to keep my passengers, boat, and myself safe. I am also of the opinion that DGIF should do more to keep navigable waterways safe for all that use them. You can bet your . if that were to have happened to anyone with a sailboat or pleasure boater

we would have had all kinds of markers areund those barges!!

[dale]

Most places I go if you are out of the channel you better know it!! or  followed by :'(

[VekolBass]

If the state were to mark one hazard, then they would have to mark all hazards. This really applies to "non-permanent" manmade hazards like sunken boats, barges, duckblinds, etc. that can be placed at any time. Rocks, shoals and generally pilings are a bit different, and on the Potomac at least, a lot of these things (but not all) are marked--generally by some good Samaritan who drives a painted pole into the bottom. Sunken boats rarely are. If only some were marked, and someone were to hit a hazard that by chance was not marked--then that person would have a legal cause of action against the state claiming that to only mark some puts people at risk by leading them to believe that all are marked. Also, the channels are marked--stray outside of them at your own risk.