Boaties stuck in blocked Marina

Owners of larger boats moored in the Port Georgaphe Marina say they are stuck by a buildup of sand and seaweed in the entrance channel.

Michael Southwell is one owner. He said he tried to take his yacht out of the Marina on October 5, but was unable to as the vessel, with a draft just under two metres, got grounded in the channel.

“We have just had some of the most perfect weather for boating and sailing in the Bay,” Mr Southwell said.

“But almost every boat parked in marina has been unable to get out or in due to the channel again being silted up and choked with weed.

“Dinghies would be the only exception.”

The marina entrance channel is managed by the Department of Transport. They released a statement which details a scheduled dredging program, which started in Mid-September, and runs every year as part of their regular maintenance program.

“The work will remove the accumulation of seagrass wrack and sand within the entrance channel to restore safe navigable depths to the waterway and assist in maintaining water quality,” the statement reads.

“It’s anticipated the channel works will be completed prior to the summer school holidays when vessel movements in and out of the marina are expected to increase.”

The summer school holidays are set to start on December 15.

While the work to clear the channel has begun, Mr Southwell said issues with seagrass wrack on neighbouring Wonnerup Beach should have been a warning to authorities that issues were going to arise once clearer weather brought boaties out.

“Surely for the operators of the marina this was a foreseeable issue and a solvable one,” he said.

“The previous problems with weed build-up on nearby beaches were well-documented. So the groynes were moved to alleviate this. Now it appears the excess sand and weed are moving into the channel.”

“If people can ever get their craft out, I suspect many like me will not risk coming back.”

The Department said it is monitoring seagrass movements, and the impact dredging may have.