Update to the Dredging of the Clyde River Bar.

 Here is an urgent Update to the Dredging of the Clyde River Bar.

The Bar Maid has commenced dredging the bar BUT not with the correct length of pipes to deposit the sand spoils in the approved location. They are "side casting" which means dumping it just to the north of the dredging area. This is well outside their REF (Review of Environmental Factors) and well outside the BB Marine Park Authority approved conditions. The Association knows this and many other issues with Sandpiper Dredging's operation but what is the Manager Coastal Infrastructure MIDO Crownland Newcastle doing about it NOTHING. What is the local boating safety officer doing about it ...... all he can but he has been told to pull his head in and look the other way. The required pipes are still on the truck waiting to be connected.

The question to be asked:

• What will happen to the sand spoils just being dumped randomly in the Bay?
• What damage will it do the underwater environment?
• Where will the sand eventually end up?
• Will the sand join the Cullendulla Creek sand bank and close the creek?
• How will the taxpayers know that the approved and paid for contract has been completed and the required sand dredged?
• How can this company destroy the piles on the T-wharf and have its barge float under the bridge to tangle with mooring lines with no consequence?
• Who authorised the Bar Maid to be attached to an inappropriate commercial mooring and break loose to damage two moored vessels and still operate in the Bay?
• Did they complete the AMSA Incident Report when these two events happened?

These are not allegations these are facts and the Association has corroboration from a number of sources all of whom are concerned that rules and regulation dont apply to RMS, John Holland and Crownland.

Dredging has started on the Batemans Bay Clyde River bar.

 Dredging has started on the Batemans Bay Clyde River bar. Beware of the tug and dredge and the floating pipeline.

The question is why is RMS (Transport for NSW) dumping the sand spoils in the middle of the Bay near the isolated danger mark which indicates a reef with its own ecosystem and fish. This will surely destroy this particular environment.

There are a number of groups who have not been consulted and are very unhappy by the decision to upset this balanced system by reintroducing disturbed sand into the bay. Where will it move to? Will the hole caused by the bar dredge be filled by sand from the Surfside and northern shore?

Why has the GHD study not produced the answers?

Letter to the Sailing Community around the world from an American

Dear friends and readers,

We know this is troubling times and it might seem like the world is ending. The good news is- It's not, but it's probably going to get worse before it gets better. The boating community is one of the strongest and most enduring there is, and in times like this we need to stick together and support one another the best we can.

It's important to listen to you health officials and your own body. Washing your hands and practicing social distancing. While thousands have made a full recovery from COVID-19, there are those with compromised immune systems or the elderly who, if infected, would not fair as well. Right now the precautions in place are to help them and our communities.

If you are healthy and able, it's also a great time to remember and support your local businesses, who will ultimately be hit the hardest. Your neighbors and friends who own shops and restaurants... Or for that matter the people who work in those places and may live paycheck to paycheck.

Here at Latitudes and Attitudes, we are happy healthy and fine and ensuring our staff are taking the right measures to stay that way.

If you know someone in quarantine, or who is just having a bad week. Here's a link to a free online version of our latest Lats&Atts for this month. Send it to any friends who might be in quarantine to hopefully help them pass the time.

https://bit.ly/39Z14MO

At the moment we do not have plans to change our Croatia Share the Sail set for May. We are monitoring that every day and will keep you updated if that changes.

Sending good vibes, and know we will all get through this.

-Bob & Jody and the whole Lats&Atts family

Wild weather along NSW Coast

 Wild weather along NSW Coast – Floating debris is a massive danger

Ex cyclone Uesi which formed in the Coral Sea is not following the normal path of tracking eastwards over New Caledonia towards Tonga. For some reason best known to the Gods it has decided to travel south down the Tasman Sea passing over Lord Howe Island and then moving further south before swinging eastwards towards the south Island of New Zealand.

For those on the water and there should be nobody sailing offshore at this time of year it would have posed a difficult decision because it is not following the normal track and we all know the south west corner of any southern hemisphere revolving storm is not the place to be.

Now the east coast of Australia lies in this part of the storm sector so we can only hope it stay well offshore and dissipates as it gain pressure and become only a depression.

On the coast north of Sydney the impact of heavy rain, flash flooding and these wild seas is causing beaches to be washed away at Collaroy, Narrabeen and further north while here on the South Coast we are faced with a further challenge of floating burnt trees, branches and all matter of debris. This will reduce the energy of the waves and may reduce the wave erosion but it will along with the high tides cause this flotsam to be washed onto the beaches and further up the sand. Not a good look but a potential danger over a longer period of time as it is gradually washed out to sea.

For those putting to sea over the next six months it will be a challenge not only along the near coast but much further out to sea as the current takes this floating danger south and then off into the west wind drift and into the Southern Ocean.

There has been and will continue to be a grave hazard to vessels moored in the rivers of the South Coast as the floating logs and branches are carried towards the ocean. They get tangled in the mooring lines increase the water resistance when finally either the line breaks or the vessel and mooring is carried away. We saw this with the dredge Bar Maid which came off an inappropriate mooring in the Clyde River and apparently damaged two vessels. Will the mooring owner face any consequences? Of course not but that is a further detailed discussion.