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                WATER DEPTHS AND BOATING

ANYONE WITH A POWER BOAT OR SAIL BOAT IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE    AMOUNT OF WATER UNDER THE KEEL. IF ONE PLANS TO PURCHASE PROPERTY ON THE WATER AND PLANS TO USE CANALS AND BAYS EXTENDING BETWEEN BANYAN BLVD. AND SEAGATE DRIVE AND APPROACHES TO AND FROM DOCTORS PASS, THEY NEED TO KNOW THE WATER DEPTHS. SHOALING IS A FREQUENT AND NATURAL EVENT AS SAND IS CARRIED IN FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO THROUGH THE PASS. SAVE THE BAYS HAS DEVELOPED A COMPUTER AND GPS METHOD FOR MEASURING DEPTHS AND PRINTING THE READINGS ON A CHART. THE METHOD HAS RECENTLY BEEN ADOPTED BY NOAA. THESE CHARTS ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO OUR MEMBERS. SAVE THE BAYS IS ALWAYS MEASURING THE DEPTHS AND REPORTING THESE ON CHARTS. IT ALSO COORDINATES WITH THE CITY OF NAPLES TO HAVE TEMPORARY MARKERS INSTALLED AT SHOALS AND HAVE SHOALS REMOVED BY CONTRACTORS. WE BELIEVE THAT THIS ACTIVITY ENHANCES PROPERTY VALUES IN THE AREA.

THE ENTRANCE MARKER TO DOCTORS PASS HAS THE LETTERS DP ON THE MID CHANNEL PLACARD AS SHOWN IN THE PICTURE. TO AID BOAT SKIPPERS, THE CITY, AT THE REQUEST OF SAVE THE BAYS, WILL INSTALL (Probably by late summer) A TIDE GAGE AT THE BASE OF THE MARKER. IT READS IN FEET ABOVE OR BELOW MEAN LOWER LOW WATER (MLLW), THE DATUM USED ON NOAA CHARTS. THUS, BY LOOKING AT THE READING AS YOU PASS BY THE MARKER, THE SKIPPER CAN ESTABLISH THE AMOUNT TO ADD OR SUBTRACT FROM THE GOVERNMENT CHARTS. THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT WHEN ENTERING THE PASS TO BE SURE THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH WATER UNDER THE KEEL TO PREVENT GROUNDING.

FOR THOSE IN NEED OF FUEL, THERE IS A FUEL STATION JUST NORTH OF THE PARK SHORE BRIDGE AT VENETIAN VILLAGE. BOTH GASOLINE AND DIESEL FUELS ARE AVAILABLE. SAILBOATS WILL HAVE TO USE THEIR DINGHIES AND CONTAINERS AS THE BRIDGE CLEARANCE IS LOW. BILL LAZEAR WITH HIS BOAT EQUIPPED WITH INTEGRATED GPS AND DEPTH FINDER USED TO PREPARE DEPTH CHARTS OUR TEAM GETTING READY FOR NEW WATER DEPTH MEASUREMENTS AND THE TIDE GAGE ON MARKER"5" (Look at Water Level).