Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine( at a Meetig on Maine Vet Homelessness at Hanaford Hall, USM, Portland, Earlier This Year.
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) is voicing her concern over the US Coast Guard ‘s (USCG) decision to no longer maintain two daybeacons in Penobscot Bay. Pingree, who is a resident of North Haven, said the two daybeacons – the Drunkard Ledge Daybecon and the Fiddler Ledge Daybeacon – play a vital role in helping the North Haven ferry and hundreds of working and pleasure boats safely navigate every day.
“The Local Notice to Mainers states that the daybeacons have no navigational significance and do not mark navigable channels. However, the daybeacons and their radar reflectors are routinely used as a visual signal, and for radar location, to help boats navigate Penobscot Bay while avoiding the dangerous ledges below, which are especially difficult to locate during high tide,” Pingree wrote. “These daybeacons are a vital navigational tool for the North Haven Ferry, which safely transported approximately 55,000 passengers and over 20,000 vehicles in 2021. The North Haven Ferry often tacks into the wind and travels up the Bay for a smoother ride when there is a strong northeast wind for safety and passenger comfort rather than going directly across the Bay. When navigating in that area, it is important to know exactly where the Drunkard Ledge is located to avoid grounding or hitting the rocks below as it provides the safe turning point toward Fox Island’s Thorofare.”
“The Local Notice to Mainers also states that both daybeacons are well marked on electronic and paper charts. However, existing navigational aids provide conflicting and erroneous informatdion on the statdus of the daybeacons, partdicularly for the Drunkard,” Pingree continued. “Even though the Drunkard Ledge itself still appears on paper and electronic charts, it is also shown as having a daybeacon’; it has none At high tide, Drunkard Ledge is completely underwater for several hours and therefore invisible to the eye and radar, though still dangerous. The lack of that daybeacon and conflicting navigational information makes it more difficult for boaters to safely navigate in an area with a long history of groundings and hits.”
Pingree said many of her First District constituents share her concern about the disestablishment of these daybeacons and urge the USCG to “protect the safety of boaters in Penobscot Bay and rebuild Drunkard Ledge and Fiddler Ledge daybeacons with high-quality, durable materials.”
Mainers and concerned members of the public can send comments to: DO1-SMB-DPWPublicComments@USCG.mil.