Sunday afternoon was a zoo. It's not the crowds I mind (I'm one of the crowd), it's the lack of organization and patience. Two ramp "supervisors" but no supervision. Coming to the ramp to retrieve and all ramps have a mixture of retrievers and launchers. One commercial guy launching in the lane on the far right as you look down from the top of the ramp which was fine. But that's where you have to carefully work your way between the two lines of boats to get out. Must have not been patient because he blasted out of there playing bumper boats as he went along. Hit some guy's boat and when the guy said something about it the comm guy yelled that he should put out fenders. After my boat's out, I ask one of the two "supervisors" (the one who yelled at me Friday when I launched my boat, telling me I need to wait for someone to tell me it's ok...I was ready and others were still getting ready, so why wouldn't I go? Plus, I'd gone because the other "supervisor" told me to go) how someone would know when they're coming in to retrieve which lane(s) are for launch and which are for retrieve. She told me the two left lanes (as you are looking down from the top of the ramp) are for retrieving. I don't think she understood I was asking a hypothetical question. I rephrased the question. Suppose I was coming in to retrieve and nobody told me which lanes are retrieve and which are launch. She said the two left lanes are always retrieve on Sundays. News to me. I asked how someone would know that. Is it posted somewhere? On some web site? Nope. She said they used to have signs but they kept blowing over. I suggested they get a bunch of cones. Paint one side red and one side green. Put them at the top of the ramps and at the ends. If you see red, you don't go that way. If you see green, you can go that way. Simple and there's no need to read anything. Weigh the things down if you have to. The Whittier harbor website says
"NOTICE TO BOATERS
Please observe the directional markers when launching or retrieving a vessel from the East Launch Ramp." Really?
Anyway, it was a good weekend, boaters were in a good mood (except for the one), and a good time was had. Even if it was a zoo.
"NOTICE TO BOATERS
Please observe the directional markers when launching or retrieving a vessel from the East Launch Ramp." Really?
Anyway, it was a good weekend, boaters were in a good mood (except for the one), and a good time was had. Even if it was a zoo.
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