UPDATE on Recreational Boating in NY Harbor 11/9/2012

I didn't make it to hear the call this morning, but I came in to find that Ray Fusco (creator of www.thesafeharbor.us/, a great resource for recreational boaters in NY Harbor at any time) had taken some notes & posted them with a request that they be disseminated far & wide. So here you are. Thanks, Ray (and Nancy Brous, Rob Buchanan, & "Staten Island Steve" Blumling from the New York City Water Trail Association and Scott Keller from the Hudson River Greenway - with those guys on the call I don't feel so bad about missing it) and once again thanks to Cdr. Sturgis & LCDR Morrissey and anyone else at our local Coast Guard station for everything you're doing to help our harbor slowly return from Sandy's beating.

Here are Ray's notes from the morning call:

A special thanks to the USCG for making time to speak with us as a group. Please spread this info far and wide we are a part of a larger recreational community so that means sailors, power boaters, fisherman etc etc.

...

The Port of NY and NJ is open for recreational boating under cautionary and discretionary daylight use only with the following closures and safety zones*:

Command Center** 718 354 4353 - 24/7 open VHF radio 16

1) buttermilk channel - massive clean up and removal of containers and heavy equipment - 2 or 3 days

2) arthur kill - 3/4 is soiled with oil spill - entire arthur kill is closed - majority of the spill is from goethels bridge to kindermorgan - spill is moving with the current and this is why the entire kill is closed. 4 of the bulk oil storage facilities suffered significant damage - primarily marine diesel - 400,000 gallons original number in water

3) sheepshead bay***

4) jamaica bay***

5) great kills harbor***

If you go out the USCG requests you: Use common sense and judgement Exercise caution Do a thorough visual survey of area Steer clear of and look out for debris fields and oil spills

if you go out and see something, call command center and take photos if you can

Safety zone - are to make sure folks go into a hazmat areas The challenges post storm is that all damaged rec boats are polluting the waters Be Aware that any river with a marina is suffering these similar problems

* Please note for folks interested in recreating the water above the GW bridge and the Long Island Sound have NO restrictions and have no reported oil spills but may have debris so exercise cation

** Command center will permit, a boat that is serviceable, to exit the safety zones, permission will be a one way transit out ** Command Center will permit any salvage contractors in to help

***There is a separate environmental restoration/habitat restoration - Incident Command Center - 860 514 4581, 347 748 1086 Call if you want to help, find an oil spill or need information regarding the clean up