Harbor News

Here you can find updates from the Harbormaster Office

Alerts

2009 Changes to Certain Mooring Requirements
             At the January 2009 public meeting of the Dartmouth Waterways Management Commission, changes to Schedules A & B of the Dartmouth Mooring Regulations were unanimously and immediately enacted.   The heading to these mooring size regulation sections is now “Minimum Anchor and EXACT Ground Tackle Specifications.”                 The changes were enacted to address the widespread problem of many vessels sitting or riding on bottom chain heavier than could be moved by the attached vessel.  Heavy chain could be found laid out in any direction of the last strong gale, or sitting in a pile on the mooring anchor.  When all boats do not pull their full mooring scope according to the prevailing wind or wind/tide, the likelihood of boats bumping in our crowded harbor increases significantly.  In order to keep the same number and density of moorings accommodated, it was decided to require uniform mooring scope configurations based upon vessel size.               
           What impact does this have for each mooring permit holder?  Starting with every mooring which is due for inspection in 2009, the chain diameters for each mooring must change to match the required sizes for only the vessel of record approved by the Harbormaster for that mooring permit.  Inspections in each year hereafter will also require compliance at that inspection, as will any changes to your approved vessel of record.  If your bottom (or top) chain is oversized, it will need to be replaced with the appropriate diameter chain as specified in the Mooring Regulations.  Total mooring scope (length) remains unchanged and is based upon the mean high water site depth.  Mooring anchor weights described in the regulations remain minimum sizes and only this component of your mooring gear may be larger than recommended.         
          One additional change to mooring regulations affects only vessels less than 20’ in length moored north of the Bridge.  Moorings under “Schedule A” for approved vessels of record under 20’ in length should now have ½” diameter links for both top and bottom chains.               These changes are the result of deliberate public consideration by the Commission given to documented situations of property damage.  These mandatory changes are designed to promote public safety and the welfare of vessels moored in the tight boundaries of Padanaram Harbor.  Compliance is not optional and permits shall not be granted for non-conforming gear in Dartmouth waters.   These changes are not intended for mooring areas outside of Padanaram Harbor.  Mooring Service Providers are instructed to either bring indicated mooring gear into compliance with the new regulations, or to designate non-compliant gear as “failed” under Dartmouth Mooring Regulation 15(ii).
Posted on 01 Apr 2009 by Harbormaster
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Updates

Users Guide to Moorings in Dartmouth [pdf]
Permitted Mooring Use - Guide [pdf]

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Notices To Mariners

Post registration notice - decals

NOTICE

The 2009 Mooring Registration Renewal Process has closed.  No mooring permit may be renewed after May first of each year.  We are now completing the data entry for all forms received in a timely manner.  A current mooring waiting list shall be published on this site by May 15, 2009.  Mooring assignments to all available sites will commence after that date.  Please do not attempt to contact the Harbormaster office regarding potential mooring assignments.  We will not be able to give any predictions and your calls will delay the assignment process. 
DECALS:
If you have already paid for your mooring, dinghy or waterways use (boat) permit, AND you have no outstanding issues (unpaid excise tax, mooring inspection due, past violations, etc.), your decal was mailed to your last known address on 07 May 2009.  Lost decals will require a $5.00 replacement fee.
Posted on 08 May 2009 by Harbormaster
82 Foot Tugboat Aground off Demarest Lloyd

At approximately 1:30 PM, the 82 foot tugboat Southern Cross reported that she was taking on water and requested assistance.  She reported that she was just off Mishaum Ledge and was heading in to shallow water in hopes of grounding before the vessel sank in deep water. 

The Coast Guard dispatched a 47 foot cutter, along with a Rescue Helicopter and an Coast Guard Auxiliary fixed-wing aircraft. The Harbormaster and two assistants arrived on scene in their 22 foot AMBAR Patrol vessel and stood by with the Southern Cross until the Coast Guard cutter arrived. The rescue helicopter offered to drop a dewatering pump to the crew of the Southern Cross, but they determined that it was already too late. By that time, the Southern Cross was listing dangerously to port, and the master of the Southern Cross decided to abandon ship.  The coast guard cutter arrived and took the three man crew off of the Southern Cross.  The vessel owner, Patriot Marine LLC, contracted with Frank Corp to handle the cleanup of any spilled petroleum.

Images of the Southern Cross

Posted on 09 Nov 2008 by Harbormaster
Rusty-Colored Algae Floats Again in Buzzards Bay

Rusty-Colored Algae Floats Again in Buzzards Bay


This summer marked the fourth summer since 2005 that Baywatcher volunteers reported cloudy streaks of rust-colored water in Buzzards Bay – the sign of abnormal amounts of Cochlodinium polykrikoides, a dinoflagellate, which is a type of phytoplankton or single-celled algae. Dinoflagellates, such as Cochlodinium, naturally occur in Buzzards Bay and are likely present all the time, but usually occur in significantly less densities.

Whenever there is a population explosion, or “bloom,” of these microalgae, cell densities may exceed millions of cells per liter of water. Characteristic of all dinoflagellates, Cochlodinium cells have two flagella, or thin, whip-like outgrowths used for swimming, and armored plates of tissue. However, Cochlodinium cells also contain reddish pigments that give the water a rust-colored hue when high densities of this organism accumulate at the surface.

Although a Cochlodinium bloom looks rusty-red, it is not the type of algae that is injurious to humans, such as the red tide alga, Alexandrium, which contains a toxin that attacks the nervous system in marine animals and humans. Cochlodinium does not contain any toxins; however, if a Cocholodinium bloom becomes large enough, especially in a semi-enclosed system such as a bay or harbor, it can kill fish, as the overabundance of algae consume all of the oxygen in the water. Large concentrations of Cochlodinium may also affect the growth, survival and development of some shellfish, such as oysters, but much remains unknown about these effects, and thus, is the focus of ongoing research.

Algae blooms tend to occur when environmental conditions such as temperatures, nutrients, and turbulence change, triggering the rapid growth of algal cells. For example, when a long dry spell is followed by heavy rains, nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus contained in farm fertilizers, animal wastes and sewage-treatment-plant discharges are flushed into the bay. This addition of excess nutrients to the bay fuels the production of algal blooms similar to how fertilizer promotes the growth of your lawn or garden.

“These blooms appear to be increasing in frequency, which is an indication that significant changes are occurring in Buzzards Bay,” said Coalition Director of Monitoring Programs Tony Williams.

According to Dave Whittaker, Senior Marine Fisheries Biologist at the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, this “rusty tide” has occurred in Buzzards Bay long before 2005, but blooms were more sporadic.

“In the last three or four years, blooms have been much more regular and pronounced with a much greater spatial distribution,” Whittaker explained. “We actually had a bloom as late as three weeks ago in Clarks Cove in New Bedford following that last extremely heavy rain event. With the size of these blooms, thank goodness Cochlodinium is not harmful to humans.”

This year Baywatchers first began reporting observations of rusty-colored water at the end of July in Fiddlers Cove, which was about three weeks earlier than last year’s initial report. Baywatchers then reported seeing blooms two weeks later in August in Wings Cove, the Wareham River, West Falmouth Harbor, and Snug Harbor.

Tracking trends, such as recording the occurrence of these “rusty tide” events, is critical to understanding the changing health of the bay and how human activities impact the bay ecosystem. As the Coalition’s 2007 State of the Bay Report reveals, the overall health of the bay is declining and algae blooms are just one sign of troubled waters. The Coalition will continue to monitor the bay’s health and collect long-term data to provide the information necessary to make informed, science-based decisions about the restoration and protection of Buzzards Bay.

The Coalition needs your help in monitoring the health of Buzzards Bay. If you observe an algae bloom in Buzzards Bay, immediately contact Tony Williams, Coalition Director of Monitoring Programs at 508-999-6363 ext. 203 or e-mail at williams@savebuzzardsbay.org, with the location and a description of the bloom.

Posted on 30 Oct 2008 by Harbormaster
Army Corps of Engineers Public Notice Re: Concordia, Inc.
Concordia, Inc. with a principal place of business at 300 Gulf Road, Dartmouth, MA has made application to the United States Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) for the necessary federal permits to retain and maintain 167 existing commercial (rental) moorings in the public waters of Apponagansett Bay (Padanaram Harbor), Dartmouth, MA. Such commercial permits are required for the seasonal rental of moorings by regulation.
The US Army Corps of Engineers is seeking comments regarding the proposed permits. Written comments are to be filed with the Corps before October 26, 2007. Comments from individuals or entities are used to determine the need for a public hearing and also to determine the overall public interest of the proposed activity. If there is no valid request for a public hearing, the Corps will not consider such a hearing in this process. Submitted written comments will nonetheless be considered with or without a public hearing.
Statistically there are 1,194 mooring sites permitted in all areas of Dartmouth waters. In the outer Padanaram Harbor, south of the Padanaram Bridge, (the area where all 167 Concordia, Inc. moorings exist and are sought to be permitted) there are 586 permitted mooring sites total. Of these 586 outer harbor mooring sites, 409 sites are permitted annually for individual (non-rental) use.
Please use the following link to view the Army Corps public notice, File Number NAE2004-1077, as posted 25 September 2007 on their website:
http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/reg/pubnot2.asp
You may also directly download the PDF version of this Public Notice from this site:
http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/reg/1954_001.pdf
Posted on 27 Sep 2007 by Harbormaster
Dartmouth Channel Changes Affect Mooring Assignments

Dear Mooring Gear Owners,

The Dartmouth Harbormaster Office has received your mooring permit relinquishment forms, and your requests to attempt to sell your mooring gear to the next-assigned permit holder for your former site.  This message is to inform you of circumstances in Padanaram Harbor that have delayed to assignment of available mooring sites.  In early 2006, the Harbormaster was notified by the US Coast Guard (Group Woods Hole - Sector SE New England) Aid to Navigation Team Chief that there were "mooring balls" within the federally-designated navigation channel.  At about this same time, the two red nuns (10 & 12) were moved and repositioned by the USCG significantly toward the west.  The USCG intended to force the removal of all mooring gear and attached vessels if the Town did not act.

I asked the USCG ATN Chief to specify, in writing, where the federal channel began, where it ended, and what the width was determined to be.  None of these specifics could be determined from public information available.   He agreed to research and provide those answers before any further action would be taken.  Apparently the coordinates delineating the extent of our federal channel could not readily be found by federal authorities either, so discussions began again in May of 2007 with staff at the Woods Hole ATN station and superiors at MSO Providence.  The USCG sought to set the Padanaram Channel at 75 yards width (225').  For comparison, 225 feet wide is approximately the average width of the Cape Cod Canal.  After further negotiations, it was agreed that the federal authorities could live with a 50 yard wide (150') channel for most of our little harbor, narrowing out of necessity at the Padanaram Bridge.   This was the narrowest channel they would accept.  The location of both red nun buoys, as well as the addition of a new green can #13 opposite the South wharf was also negotiated with the USCG to achieve the maximum channel depth existing in the harbor, while maintaining as practical an approach as possible.  Later in the 2007 boating season, the USCG ATN team again visited Padanaram, and moved those government buoys into what is now believed to be their final positions.  

Although we have not yet received the final written coordinates for the channel in writing from USCG, after two years of meetings, negotiations and adjustments, I believe we finally have an understanding and agreement as to the extent of the federal channel in Padanaram Harbor. Obviously, federally-designated navigation channels take priority over local regulation and mooring placements.  No mooring may interfere or impede navigation in any way. The net result to the Dartmouth boating community appears to be a loss of approximately 26 mooring sites due to the "new" federal channel.   That loss hurts, especially in  the face of nearly 300 candidates awaiting mooring permits.  We need to gain sites, not lose ground on the overall access issue. 

Discussions at public meetings with the Dartmouth Waterways Commission led to the reasonable conclusion that people with individual mooring permits being "displaced" by virtue of relocation of the channel should be accommodated elsewhere.  These individuals with valid mooring permits will be offered available sites ahead of anyone on the mooring waiting list to avoid the unfair situation of new permits being issued to the wait list candidates, while existing boaters are removed and forced to the end of the list through no fault or action on their part.  The Harbormaster Office will be identifying and notifying each mooring permit holder affected by the channel change this fall and winter.  We will attempt to match as closely as possible those sites available to those vessels displaced.  All of this "shuffling" is being done against the backdrop of an ever-increasing need to re-grid the entire harbor for more efficient allocation of spaces.  That enormous entire re-grid project is looming in the near future, when that project policy is set by the Dartmouth Waterways Management Commission.


This lengthy explanation is designed to explain what appears to be a lack of movement of available sites to the Dartmouth Mooring Waiting list.  It is not for want of action on the part of this office.  The "behind-the-scenes" activity to make boating safer and more accessible consumes a great amount of time and effort on out part.  While we are cognizant of the funds each mooring gear owner has invested in their tackle, our over-riding focus must be upon the safe, fair and equitable distribution of limited public space for moorings.  Each mooring gear owner maintains ownership of their personal property, which is the mooring gear.  It has been difficult to make clear the distinction between ownership of that mooring gear, and the inability to claim any property or ownership interest in the site which was formerly permitted for keeping of that gear.  We will make every effort to encourage the re-use or re-cycling of existing mooring gear, however under local, state and federal laws, the re-assignment of any mooring permit cannot be conditioned upon the purchase of existing gear.

As always, each mooring gear owner is free to have the mooring service provider of their choice remove their mooring tackle for future use, resale, scrap metal value, or to simply stop the costs of required seasonal servicing.  Many municipalities actually do require that immediately upon termination of a mooring permit, all personal (mooring) gear be removed to return the site to its natural state.  Those who have discontinued their mooring permit have the option of waiting out this winter season for assignments to either displaced permit holders or the waiting list, or having their gear removed instead of winter servicing.

Any specific inquiries regarding this message should be directed to the Harbormaster in writing only. 
Posted on 27 Sep 2007 by Harbormaster
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Website Updates

Waitlist Updated
The Dartmouth Mooring Waitlist has been updated.   You can find the updated list here
Posted on 08 May 2009 by Harbormaster
Post registration notice - decals

NOTICE

The 2009 Mooring Registration Renewal Process has closed.  No mooring permit may be renewed after May first of each year.  We are now completing the data entry for all forms received in a timely manner.  A current mooring waiting list shall be published on this site by May 15, 2009.  Mooring assignments to all available sites will commence after that date.  Please do not attempt to contact the Harbormaster office regarding potential mooring assignments.  We will not be able to give any predictions and your calls will delay the assignment process. 
DECALS:
If you have already paid for your mooring, dinghy or waterways use (boat) permit, AND you have no outstanding issues (unpaid excise tax, mooring inspection due, past violations, etc.), your decal was mailed to your last known address on 07 May 2009.  Lost decals will require a $5.00 replacement fee.
Posted on 08 May 2009 by Harbormaster
Waitlist Updated
The Dartmouth Mooring Waiting list has been updated.  Please see our news page for details.
Posted on 28 May 2008 by Harbormaster
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