Narragansett Bay West Passage Notice

[Fishpart]

For those of you who gots to know....

http://www.dot.state.ri.us/traffic/MSIB06-06.pdf

[zacs]

On saturday there were patrol boats on both sides enforcing a no wake in this temporary channel as well, although it isn't posted anywhere...

Zac

[JohnR]

It is a start but it still does not open the West Passage for my needs


PLEASE o PLEASE, Gods of the Fish and all things Navigational, PLEASE open to night time

[B-assman]

Be careful near the bridge - the officers enforcing the rules aparently havent read them!

I went out this morning and since it was my first time this season going under the bridge -I specifically took the time to read the notice to see what the procedure was. According to the notice - Commercial vessels require an escort - pleasure craft drawing less than 15 ft may transit without escort during daylight hours. There is no mention of speed restrictions.

Nobody was around the bridge before 6am so I had no trouble going under the bridge.

On the way back Im coming north around the east side of Dutch and a patrol boat is on a parallel course with me - we're both going about 30kts headed toward the bridge. We were just north of Dutch (far away from the temporary bouys). I slow down figuring I'll let him go first and follow behind him. He then makes a hard right turn and heads straight for me - sirens and lights on. I stop and he comes along side and in that Arrogant Cop voice asks me - "Do you know what a siren is?" "Do you know what flashing lights mean?" He pauses after each of these stupid questions until I answer. He then proceeds to lecture me - telling me that this is a restricted zone, that I may only pass with his permission (you must hail him on ch 16 before transiting the bridge), and that I must travel at 5kts.

I knew full well that he's dead wrong - but all i can say at this point is "yes sir, sorry sir, it won't happen again sir"

So - be careful out there.

[likwid]

Print out the notice and shove it in his face.