Navigation hazard at Rock Cliffs/ Jordanelle.

[doggonefishin]

I have posted about this in years past but figured I should do so again, since many members fish there.

About 150 -200 yards Southeast of the launch ramp is a cement wall that runs East-West. it is about 30-40 yards long. At current water levels is is just under the water or barely exposed. I was there Saturday and saw an area where it was recently hit by a boat. In years past, I have witnessed many boats colliding with it and/or getting stuck on it. It is unmarked. Please us caution if you are fishing or boating in the area over the next few days.

Water levels are dropping quickly and it will be out of the water in a week or two.
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[lovetofish]

Thanks for the heads up. I remember you posting this last year and had forgotten all about it. I've been thinking of hitting/launching from that area but will keep that in the back of my mind now. Thanks again.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]That cement wall...and also the stumps...have provided some "close encounters" with more than a few boats. Never a problem from my tube...except when I snag up while molesting perch and smallies in that area. The structure usually holds fish.[/#0000FF]


[#0000FF]Here's a pic showing that area at "low tide".[/#0000FF]
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[Tin-Can]

Man that's worse than just low tide. Looks like the lake got drained
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Most years they let the lake fill...usually by the middle to end of June. Then, from about the middle of July on they let the water flow into Deer Creek and then to the water users and Utah Lake. (more of the former) By late fall the water level is usually way below the bottom of the launch ramp at Rock Cliffs. You can still launch small boats and float tubes out off the end of the road, but it can be problematic. See pic.
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[doggonefishin]

[quote TubeDude][#0000FF]That cement wall...and also the stumps...have provided some "close encounters" with more than a few boats. Never a problem from my tube...except when I snag up while molesting perch and smallies in that area. The structure usually holds fish.[/#0000FF]
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Well, we just bounce off of it when we are in our float tubes,[] and yes, the area holds quite a few fish, even now.


I do have kind of a humorous story about the wall. I was up there one evening working over a school of smallies. These folks in a boat saw me catching a lot of fish and started heading over to get in on the action. Unfortunately, they were on the other side of the wall. When it was apparent they were heading for trouble, I started yelling. They didn't hear (or want to hear) and whamo. They fairly quickly extricated themselves but I was still catching and they were noticing. At this point, I was just above the beginning of the wall and they circled around and beelined right back to my area and their nemesis. In spite my renewed screams, CRUNCH. This time, they were stuck pretty bad and I came over and gave them a push to help free themselves. Fortunately, damage was modest and they decided twice was enough and to fish elsewhere at this point.
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[RonPaulFan]

Great story and caring post and TubeDude's picture shows the hazards well to help prevent damage and possible injury. Thanks!

Years ago I posted on hazards of treble hook lures stuck on the submerged steel cables of a "fishing pier" that is popular for swimming. I can imagine that it would be quite bad to try to figure out how to get released while held underwater from being snagged by one.

http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gfo...le;#778303

I wonder why there aren't some sort of warning things there. Flags on fiberglass rods for the walls at least?

It would make sense, but I think I know the answer.

I remember when I skied two full seasons in Vail there were two resorts that handled hazards in opposite ways which I thought was odd.

One would put padding on hazards and remove insidious hidden hazards like a root that loops up and can capture a boot at high speed hiding under light snow. The other would not remove any hazards.

The reasons surprised me. They were all about being sued by people who injure themselves on the hazards. The one that padded the most egregious hazards would get sued because someone runs into something out of the way and it wasn't padded and they claim it should have been padded, too. Once you start with the padding, you can't pad everything. Once you remove one hazard or a few of the worst, someone will find a lesser hazard and get hurt and sue because they claim it should have been removed, too. You can't remove every rock and tree because that would destroy the beauty and no one would ski there.

The other ski resort did nothing to prevent injury. They didn't remove any hazards and didn't pad anything. They even had an avalanche structure that splits an avalanche to protect a building and the leading edge of it was a sharp blade that would split anything that runs into it. The resort that did nothing to mitigate hazards actually got sued the least because it's the skier's responsibility to look out for hazards.

It seems to me that if it weren't for our society being so litigious with crazy jury awards, the worst of hazards could be marked or removed.

I'm guessing that might be the reason nothing is done regarding underwater stumps and walls.

Life and hobbies are like that. There are hazards.

Now that I'm enjoying my new off-roading hobby, I'm noticing you don't see what's over the next rise until you're there. What could go wrong?
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