Last Sunday I took a joy ride on The Monongahela Monitor downriver to the Greer fleet, which is just below the power plant on Beechurst Avenue.
I noticed a motor boat along the west bank across from Deckers Creek with a man, woman and two children. The kids and dad were fishing, quietly sharing some quality time in the shade of the big sycamores and paw-paw trees. I also saw a guy in a kayak fishing. That's something that takes some coordination, I believe. Regardless: it was good to see.
I have often thought of the Mon River at Morgantown as our Cheat Late. People are so into recreation on Cheat Lake, but for those of us who live in Morgantown, well, the river's a lot closer. And now, with our no wake zone from just below the Westover bridge to the lock and dam, it's a lot more peaceful.
An example, pretty good sized cruiser passed me while I was at the Greer fleet at a pretty good clip. He had a jet-ski zooming along behind him. So, I was curious about what would happen when he went around the bend and encountered the no wake buoy.
It was perfect. The jet ski did a couple of doughnuts and they both came about and headed back down the river. Now, just imagine if that buoy and no wake zone were not there. The guy fishing in the kayak and the family fishing along the west bank would have been pounded by the wake of the cruiser and jet ski. I think everyone was well served by our new no wake zone.
Oh, I also watched a heron. These birds seem to pose for me: I came up to one along the west bank across from Ruby McQuain Park and watched it spread its great wings and fly to a branch further upriver. Then, it posed, its long neck and legs, dagger-like beak and top crest, gray and back-lit against the green trees. Then, it flew off again, posing in the air, swooping just above the water, reflecting in the river, to another branch, where, of course, it posed again as my boat overtook it. Herons along the Mon River do this; flying as you approach, then posing, then flying, posing, flying, as your boat get closer again and again.
The folks in fast boats, bouncing everyone around as they pass, don't get to see this. Too bad, I guess.
Hey, maybe I'll see you down at the river!
I can tell you exactly what would have happened, they would have got waked. Thing is people that boat on the water must be able to handle conditions that arise else they should stay in a pool. Thing is I deal with wake just as everyone else on the river and lake does; it happens. We get waked really bad at Mark's especially during the fishing tournaments. It happens in the lock chambers as well. Seems to me that while the no wake zone was a novel idea, it does little to get at the root of the problem. Users of the waterways should understand the COLREGS. If they did the new no wake zone would not have been needed. Instead of pushing for the no wake zone, maybe you and me included should have pushed for some education requirements for boaters. I have no problem slowing down when needed however, other users of the river also need to be aware of what's going on around them. While the new no wake zone may have stopped the Morgantown marina from being rocked by wake, It does nothing for other users of the river as it seems most of the boaters do not realize that COLREGS require boats to be 100 feet from moored boats while at wake speeds. Required education would solve this. Littering the river with no wake buoys will not. And I do see the beautiful scenery on the river as I use it almost everyday. So thank you for taking your time to make sure it stays clean. If you see me on the river be sure to say hi. I'm in the big good sized cruiser Kiki Marie on VHF channel 16 as per COLREGS.
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Couldn't agree more Pete! Dumbasses in boats are just dangerous. I'll keep a watch for the Kiki Marie and give you a hail if we pass. I'm usually in a 28 foot 1984 Harris pontoon boat with blue and black trim and a hard top. Don't have the VHF onboard.
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