Posted by Chris on July 25, 2002 at 02:07:51:
Catalina Dive Site Moorings, a Dismal Failure
There are many who support dive site moorings at Catalina.
The mistakenly believe these will protect and increase access to popular dive sites.
An experimental mooring has been installed at Hen Rock, with the expected result … reduced dive site access!
A prime example is last Sunday, July 21.
A local dive boat Captain sent me this picture of a sailboat which not only had been tied to the mooring all night, but remained moored most of Sunday, thereby deny others access to the dive site.
The basic problem is that clueless boaters who are happy to take a free mooring and stay there for the entire weekend regularly inundate Catalina.
If moorings are put at other dive sites this will be their fate as well, effectively cutting off access to the sites.
As divers we should oppose moorings at Catalina dive sites if we are to have any hope of continued access.