Many of you are aware that there is a beach re-nourishment project going on at Hunting Island State Park. They have 2 crews and 3 vessels working on that project. The dredge boat stays out near the park taking on sand from the bottom of the ocean and depositing it onto the beach where it is shaped by bulldozers.
The other 2 vessels are leasing dock space at the Dataw Island Marina for the duration of the project. The company name is Great Lakes Dock and Dredge, Inc. They do these projects all over the country. Below is a photo of their 55 foot crew boat, the Saginaw River. The crew arrives at 7am, parks their vehicles in the lot and boards the vessel for the trip out to Hunting Island. They return at 5 pm and go home. No one stays on Dataw overnight.
Soon, the rest of the crew will arrive with the second and smaller scout vessel. They will also be leasing vehicular parking space at the Marina while they work a straight 2 week shift living on the dredge at Hunting Island before being replaced by another crew. Again, they park their vehicles here but do not stay on island.
Both vessels will also soon be fueling up with our new dispenser. We are pleased to be able to provide a convenient staging location for Great Lakes Dock and Dredge while they work on a much needed project that will benefit the Beaufort community and beyond.
The electrical system is complete and inspected. Our electrical system is in compliance with the newer 2017 electrical codes for marinas and the pedestals are more sensitive to vessel electrical current leakage than they used to be. This results in some vessels tripping the ground fault circuit interrupters when they connect to shore power. We have ordered a meter that will read this leakage so that it may be remedied by a certified electrical technician.
The forklift has been repaired and has been hauling boats this week in spite of the cold weather.
The travel lift concrete runway work has been completed and travel lift haulouts are reconvening. We waited until the slower season to repair the deteriorated runway surface and it should now be in good condition for decades.
Beer, wine, snacks, drinks, pizzas and basic household and boating items are competitively priced and available at the Marina Store between 9 and 5 daily.
The latest prediction from the restaurant owner for Morgan River Grill is that they will be opening in 4 weeks.
We have had a side scan sonar done to examine the marina footprint for underwater hazards. This week, divers and a barge removed all hazards except one that still needs to be removed. There are buoys marking this remaining hazard.
