Floating debris

[Diver Vince]

Am new to boating on Winni. Saw a large piling floating as we were entering Sanders Bay this afternoon. Is there some local entity to report the location of floating debris and who can remove it as it is a hazard to navigation? Is there an established procedure to follow to ensure another boater doesn't smash into it? If so, what's the generally accepted procedure? Was unable to tow it anywhere.

[NoBozo]

Originally Posted by Diver Vince

Am new to boating on Winni. Saw a large piling floating as we were entering Sanders Bay this afternoon. Is there some local entity to report the location of floating debris and who can remove it as it is a hazard to navigation? Is there an established procedure to follow to ensure another boater doesn't smash into it? If so, what's the generally accepted procedure? Was unable to tow it anywhere.

The Right Thing to do is Pick It Up and TOW it in...or bring it aboard and take it in. NB

PS: If you are in a saiboat..that's a little different.

[ApS]

Twice last season, the MPs came within a day (or two) and removed some very large floating debris. This "debris" below was a hemlock that had fallen into the lake about ten years ago. I'd estimate its height at about 80-feet, and its girth at 36-inches. Even after ten years getting waterlogged, it was still floating just beneath the surface. Seasoned boaters call them "deadheads".

(...with apologies to the real ones!)

[Belmont Resident]

Originally Posted by ApS

Twice last season, the MPs came within a day (or two) and removed some very large floating debris. This "debris" below was a hemlock that had fallen into the lake about ten years ago. I'd estimate its height at about 80-feet, and its girth at 36-inches. Even after ten years getting waterlogged, it was still floating just beneath the surface. Seasoned boaters call them "deadheads".

(...with apologies to the real ones!)

Just curious, how do you know how long it was there?

[jrc]

If I could safely remove the debris, I would otherwise I'd call the Marine Patrol.

This works in sailboats and even if you don't know how long the tree has been there. BTW a tree or other debris grounded in shallow water, outside of the travel lanes is no hazard and no one is going to move it.

[HellRaZoR004]

So for people that don't know (or need a refresher), what's the number for MP?

[Phantom]

603-293-2037


A number that everyone who boats should have in their "Contacts"

A VHF radio call on Ch#16 works as well

[NoBozo]

Originally Posted by HellRaZoR004

So for people that don't know (or need a refresher), what's the number for MP?

NHMP (Gilford) 1-(603)-293-2037. NB

[Rusty]

Pretty soon you will be able to call the Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 28, based out of US Coast Guard Station Portsmouth Harbor in New Castle, New Hampshire, on Portsmouth Harbor at the mouth of the Piscataqua River.

[Diver Vince]

Appreciate the information. If I do again spot hazardous debris in the normal channel lanes and I'm unable to remove will give a shout out on channel 16 and supply the nav coordinates..

[camp guy]

I am sorry to say, but, based on some personal experience, the Marine Patrol will determine if the debris is in a location where it can cause harm to navigation, before they decide to respond. I understand this, so what I am saying is that a boater has to be very vigilant, at this time of year, particularly, when boating around the edges of the charted waters.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by Belmont Resident

Just curious, how do you know how long it was there?

The actual date of the tree's falling into the lake was possibly longer ago, maybe 12 years ago. It had given months of warnings of its ultimate destination by emitting sharp cracking sounds that I mistook for acorns falling on a neighbor's tent platform. It remained attached to our shoreline by its roots, but was submerged for all of its length. It's "ultimate" destination was actually Gilford, where these obstructions are removed totally from the lake.

Not any trouble for us, it appeared to be a destination for fisherman, a nursery for smaller fishes, sunfish and smallie bass nests: dragonfly nymphs would use it for a launch site from the lake. Hooded Mergansers (attached) could be seen among its visible branches in mid-April: Loons and Merganser chicks would poke among its submerged branches for food during summers.

Already an ancient tree when we arrived here, a taller fallen tree could have boats racing within 150-feet of the shoreline unwittingly impacting it. (Another good reason for the rule...). Another of our shoreline's giants is headed the same way, and it's taller.

The exposed branches had become a perfectly-isolated spot for a bird's nest, and four Kingbird nestlings fledged successfully in its then-vertical branches of its first year in the lake. Thereupon, a family member decided the branches were unsightly, and had all the visible branches trimmed off. It eventually became dislodged from the shoreline, and on some weekends appeared as a waterlogged giant battering ram against our permanent dock.

Not far from last season's "deadhead" warning by Camp Guy, I'd only days before inquired about the MP's arrival at Storytelling Rock, where the MPs had towed a similar obstruction.

(While suggesting of a better use of the MP Auxillary than the MPs...wrote of that here...).

Why the MP sent two boats for this tree is unknown, but it wasn't because they'd requested a proper boat-hook.