T&T: Are people not boating?

[Rich Gano]

YES!

On Sunday (a usually subdued boating day here in the Bible belt), I drove
from Panama City along the 130-mile beach route to Ono Island on the FL-AL
border and crossed over the ICW at several popular areas during the
morning - a perfect weather day.  From the vantage points bridges I had a
bird's-eye-view for quite some distance over several popular areas.  The
channels were packed with moving boats, and the anchorages were jammed.  As
I drove along, I saw numerous boats in other areas not usually busy.

I probably had visual contact with several thousand boats that day.

Monday, when all the tourist boaters are getting their boats back on their
trailers and heading home from their Memorial Day vacation, I took a
grandson out for a fishing/bottom scrubbing expedition to the local favorite
barrier island.  Again, the waters were very busy going and coming from the
place, and there was not a spare spot to put a boat along the shoreline of
the island for miles - these were mostly locals by the hundreds.

As usual, there was little wake-consideration given to those anchored by the
oglers in their boats as they wandered through and by the extended
anchorage.  Too many had absolutely no idea of the effects of their wakes.

I saw WAY too few US flags displayed on Monday - less than 30-40% and many
of these were large boats with proper place to do so.

Rich Gano
CALYPSO (GB-42 #295)
Southport, FL