10-27-2012, 08:59 AM
Boaters at several major launch sites around the region trying to pull their vessels out of the water in anticipation of Hurricane Sandy were surprised Friday morning when they discovered that the state's floating docks had been removed, making the task much more difficult.
But a spokeswoman for the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, which disassembled the docks without warning, said the agency would be providing personnel Friday and over the weekend to help people haul their vessels.
"They will go in the water to help get boats out," said Eleanor Mariani, director of boating for the DEEP, who works out of the Old Lyme office. "We know boaters want to get boats out this weekend."
Without the help, many people trying to haul their boats would have been forced to brave 60-degree water to maneuver vessels into a position to be towed away.
"Without a dock, it's nearly impossible to get the boat out of the water," said Rob Mahoney of Niantic, who needed to return home to retrieve a wet suit and an extra hand as he tried to remove his 20-foot boat from Mago Point in Waterford.
Floating docks were being pulled locally from Mago Point, Barn Island in Stonington, Bayberry Lane in Groton, at sites on either side of the Thames River in Groton, and New London near the Gold Star Memorial Bridge.
[url "http://www.theday.com/article/20121026/NWS01/121029758/1017"]http://www.theday.com/article/20121026/NWS01/121029758/1017[/url]
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But a spokeswoman for the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, which disassembled the docks without warning, said the agency would be providing personnel Friday and over the weekend to help people haul their vessels.
"They will go in the water to help get boats out," said Eleanor Mariani, director of boating for the DEEP, who works out of the Old Lyme office. "We know boaters want to get boats out this weekend."
Without the help, many people trying to haul their boats would have been forced to brave 60-degree water to maneuver vessels into a position to be towed away.
"Without a dock, it's nearly impossible to get the boat out of the water," said Rob Mahoney of Niantic, who needed to return home to retrieve a wet suit and an extra hand as he tried to remove his 20-foot boat from Mago Point in Waterford.
Floating docks were being pulled locally from Mago Point, Barn Island in Stonington, Bayberry Lane in Groton, at sites on either side of the Thames River in Groton, and New London near the Gold Star Memorial Bridge.
[url "http://www.theday.com/article/20121026/NWS01/121029758/1017"]http://www.theday.com/article/20121026/NWS01/121029758/1017[/url]
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