Vandenberg down to 3 mooring balls - want to help?

[SloopCamotop]

Just got back from a trip, and while I was there 1 of the 4 remaining balls broke loose through no fault of the operator. What started as 6 (when the king post had a line way back when) went to 5, then 4, and now 3. This means on any given day if all 4 local operators are out there then 1 is doing a drift, and if private boats are on site there are multiple drifts occurring with people from different boats all bobbing around. It was all handled very smoothly when I was one of the drifters, but there were also students on the boat (who handled it well and were guided well by their instructor.) That said, I can see it getting needlessly hairy for both operators and divers. It doesn't need to be this way and was not designed to be run this way.

NOAA is responsible for maintaining those balls, and empirically I would say they are not doing well with that responsibility. I called and left a message for them, notifying them that the site is down to 3 balls and asking them to replace the lost balls, at 305-809-4727. If you are familiar with the site and would like to take a moment to request as a citizen that they maintain the sight with safety in mind, I think it would be a service to our community. Nobody wants to see someone get a prop to the face or perform any other unnecessary circus tricks.

 

[Cthippo]

I don't think NOAA maintains aids to navigation, I think that's USCG, or USACOE in inland waters

 

[Wookie]

I don't think NOAA maintains aids to navigation, I think that's USCG, or USACOE in inland waters

You would be wrong. NOAA absolutely maintains those mooring buoys in the Florida Keys. A simple google search of “Florida keys national marine sanctuary buoy program” will confirm. Likewise, flower garden banks national marine sanctuary maintains the moorings at the flower garden banks.

Or, they hire a contractor. Yours truly has contracted to do the maintenance a number of years in both places for one reason or another when the buoy team has been unable to perform.

For the OP. I asked the head of the buoy team about it. The candy (as well as the SG) are special because of their depth and current. When they replace those buoys, they need special permission to dive nitrox deeper than 100 feet, need to dive is essentially slack current, etc. They’ve been goose-egged a couple of times this year trying to get the moorings on. They are scheduled to try again week after next.

 

[Marie13]

I don't think NOAA maintains aids to navigation, I think that's USCG, or USACOE in inland waters

These aren’t aids to navigation.

 

[Vicko]

Why don't local operators just do it, drop a line, attach to wherever it needs to be attached to, shoot it up with a lift bag, add a buoy.

 

[Wookie]

Why don't local operators just do it, drop a line, attach to wherever it needs to be attached to, shoot it up with a lift bag, add a buoy.

A buoy in 100 feet of water will cost in excess of $1000 for materials. And, who gets the liability when someone dies when the buoy line breaks and someone is crushed between 2 drifting boats?

 

[Vicko]

Right, forgot what country this is in.

 

[Wookie]

Right, forgot what country this is in.

It must be nice to live somewhere where your small business doesn’t have to think about liability every minute.

 

[SloopCamotop]

Wookie - that’s great news. I had heard same about 100ft business, but not that they (NOAA) were on the case. The ops I talked too didn’t seem to have the direct connections you do to get information from the source at NOAA.

Thank you for your inquiry and response here. I will be there for the month of November and hope to inspect their work 5 or 6 days per week

 

[deeper thoughts]

We are also missing 2 at Davis