By LEN BOSE
This is Part 2 in a two-part series
As winter approaches, I start to look back on the year and to prepare for the new year. Very similar to looking aft while sailing downwind in a sailboat race. Doing this will keep you aware of the changing conditions. With this in mind, I checked back in with Harbormaster Paul Blank this last week
Q: Can you talk about the Harbor Department’s (HD) objectives for 2024?
A: The objectives are as follows:
–Continue to improve the technology that supports our activities and operations allowing us to be more effective.
–Plan production of an introductory safety video suitable for posting on the city website, accessible on the MyNB app, and made available to rental concession operators (communications, safety).
–Further improve data collection and reporting including:
~Location heat mapping.
~Additional metrics.
~Improve formats for reporting (month and year).
~Complete a new application and receive a $175K grant from the Calif. Division of Boating and Waterways for the removal of surrendered and abandoned vessels from Newport Harbor.
~Replace the 2007 vessel in the HD fleet with a vessel that better meets the current department's operational and functional requirements.
Q: Is anything new going on at Marina Park?
A. The Harbor Department offices are getting some much-needed soundproofing. It’s a very active place with customers, constituents, and colleagues both in person in the office and over the phone. It can be very challenging to participate in a conversation or even just concentrate effectively enough to comprehend emails and other documents.
We also hope to implement a universal electric charging station for electric vessels here in the Marina Park marina. We are close to finalizing a contract with the vendor and are just waiting for the final signoff from the City Attorney.
We did recently have an overdue inspection of our firefighting systems down on the docks. We got a very good report from the inspection agency and are pleased we are prepared in the event of an emergency.
Q: Of your objectives for 2023, which one are you most pleased with in terms of results?
A: The most important objective achieved by the department this year was the elevation of six Harbor Services Worker and Harbor Services Lead positions to full-time. The people who serve in those positions are professionals who have chosen this work as their career. They deliver consistently excellent service and are dedicated to achieving the Harbor Department’s “clean, safe, and well-enjoyed” mission. It is a huge step forward that they can now call these jobs their “full-time” professions and not have to supplement their livelihoods with other part-time work. In addition to the dignity and benefits these team members now enjoy, it has meant significantly less of my time is spent on recruiting and personnel development activities. That time has been redeployed on activities that are of greater value to the harbor community.
Here are the three other objectives I am most pleased the HD accomplished in 2023.
–Establish rapport and open a dialogue with representatives of the Harbor Charter Fleet industry to promote best practices for charter boat operations in Newport Harbor with particular attention to vessel specifications, noise and pollution control compliance, and long-range plans for operations and berthing in Newport Harbor. (Clean, well-enjoyed, communications, community building.)
–Make full use of the $175K grant from the Calif. Division of Boating and Waterways for the removal of surrendered and abandoned vessels from Newport Harbor.
–Conduct Harbor Summer Summit recap in the fall after the very successful and well-attended Harbor Summer Summit in the spring of 2023.
Q: Has there been progress with Code enforcement this year?
A: The code enforcement team is firing on all cylinders at present. The team has distributed the responsibilities very effectively and is focused on their special areas of expertise. Their efforts have focused on stay limits in the anchorages, dye-tabbing of visiting vessels, and operability of vessels in the harbor. We’ve achieved the removal of a couple of unpermitted floats/dock extensions. We just received court approval to take nuisance abatement action on three inoperable and unsanitary vessels.
The code enforcement team initiated and is convening a Southern California Taskforce on Dilapidated and Inoperable Vessels. We’ve gotten positive responses and participation from essentially all the recreational harbors in SoCal.
The intent is to keep track of and alert one another on vessels of concern moving from one harbor to the next.
The group will also attempt to make codes, rules, and policies more consistent from the harbor to the harbor, so all visitors’ expectations are consistently set and they have a more consistent experience.
Q: It’s time for the Christmas Boat Parade. What should boaters on the water keep in mind, and how will the Harbor Department be involved?
A: The Christmas Boat Parade is an absolutely extraordinary event that brings joyful entertainment to more than one million people annually. The Harbor Department will be on the water all five nights helping to ensure a neat and orderly parade as well as ensuring everyone gets back to their berth safely.
All boaters are asked to do all they can to ensure that joyful entertainment is not marred by irresponsible action:
–If you are going to imbibe adult beverages during or in association with the parade, please do so responsibly and when safely back at the docks.
–Noise and light from your vessel can impair visibility and ability to communicate with other vessels. Please be sure you can see and be seen by other vessels on the water.
• • •
I should get Harbormaster Blank to sail with me on my Harbor 20; I’d never miss a wind shift again!
Sea ya.
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Len Bose is a yachting enthusiast, yacht broker and harbor columnist for Stu News Newport.
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