Posted by Ken Kurtis on July 29, 2002 at 23:17:14:
In Reply to: Mooring Project posted by Elaine on July 29, 2002 at 21:32:25:
Although I think the intent of the Mooring Project is noble, I'm don't think it's a great idea.
First of all, we do NOT have a coral reef to protect. Our U/W eco-system is rock-based, not coral-based. Rocks are quite a bit sturdier than coral. Purple coral on Farnsworth notwithstanding (and a mooring out there raises other concerns/problems), I simply don't see extensive anchor damage that would mandate a mooring system.
Secondly, you have to consider the practical nature of all this. When you look at places that have successful mooring systems (Bonaire, Cayman, Truk, etc.) you have to remember that these are places with ZERO private boat traffic, a very active and cohesive dive community, a lot of dive sites that are very close together, and a diving pattern where boats rarely spend more than an hour at a site.
Out here we have TONS of private vessels and one concern is that they'll use all the moorings so then you're right back where you started. And if the first step is to just have a few moorings, there's also a concern that the next step is that you can ONLY tie up to the moorings and if there's already a private boat there (even though perhaps it shouldn't be), what are you going to dowith your boatload of paying passengers?
The other concern voiced by some of the captains (and maybe Tim Burke can chime in here) is that the moorings that were proposed wouldn't be big enough to hold a dive charter vessel so what was the point if one of the original goals was to avoid having big, heavy dive charter vessel anchors hitting the reefs.
And, quite frankly, it's not the dive boat captains that cause the problems with anchoring. They know what they're doing. It's the guys in smaller boats who aren't too skilled who end up wrapping chain around rocks, losing anchors, etc.
On top of that, you also have a wonderful maintainence and liability issue but I won't even start in on that one.
I'm all for conservation and preservation but, IMHO, moorings are not the right idea for our neck of the water.
Ken Kurtis
NAUI Instr. #5936
Co-owner, Reef Seekers Dive Co.
Beverly Hills, CA