I’ve been quietly, and sometimes not-so-quietly advocating for responsible actions by local and state agencies regarding the development at Pete’s Harbor marina.
My primary concern has been–and seems to remain–responsible public access for all boaters in the Bay area. Not access for a few private docks catering to the people who live in waterfront condos; not access for a few liveaboards who aren’t planning on using their boats as…boats; not access for the public walking along the shoreline and looking at boats. I really and truly want to help make sure that recreational boaters–who may or may not live aboard their vessels, who may or may not happen to own a condo adjacent the water–have adequate access to the Bay via marinas and via the navigable waterways of the Bay.
Don’t get me wrong–I like houseboat/floating home communities. I watched Sleepless in Seattle and thought “wow, what a great life aboard a floating home. ” I even see places around the Bay where floating home communities, alone, look to be the most responsible development choice if, for some reason, residential development is desired rather than returning some of the Bay areas wetlands.
My heart is into boating though–sailing in particular. We cruisers are lucky, very lucky to be able to take our homes with us all over the world (see my Quora answer about this). Bay area sailors are particularly lucky to have such fine sailing grounds.
Here in the Bay area, it concerns me when I learn that some navigable waterways are silting in under slips filled with houseboats and dredging isn’t being done–because all parties are happy to let things silt in and the waterways become unnavigable. It also concerns me when responsible boaters, like myself, with properly maintained vessels and insurance, are subjected to draconian anchoring ordinances that were written solely to rid specific areas of problem boaters. Because of a few problem boats, an entire boating community of responsible boaters is impacted. The problem boaters are still anchoring, but the law and ordinance abiding citizens are shut out from enjoying the waterways. A public policy failure entirely.
In October, I wrote (link to letter here) to the BCDC about these matters of public access and boat use as they related to Pete’s Harbor marina and Bay area boating. David and I, along with the crews of 3 other cruising boats, also presented a letter to the Redwood City Planning Commission regarding this matter. I am ever hopeful that the happenings at Pete’s Harbor will allow the BCDC, SLC, and other interested government entities to think carefully about providing public access to Bay area recreational boaters and to act in the best interest of that public access by encouraging responsible use of the waterways, marinas, and lands supporting recreational boating here.
