New environmental rules in the Blackwater

[Applescruffs]

“I wonder if I may be excused Sir?”

“No ! keep ‘em crossed till we’re past Heybridge Basin Godfrey !”

 

[tillergirl]

It may have come from the Blackwater, but how did you dispose of it "responsibly/thoughtfully?" Surely you did not just dump it in the river, that is not "responsibly/thoughtfully?"

I certainly thought about it. It was water, passed into the bilge, passed back into the river. What's wrong with that?

 

[DavidofMersea]

I certainly thought about it. It was water, passed into the bilge, passed back into the river. What's wrong with that?

I think you are taking my post much too seriously. It just seemed absurd that Maldon Council thought that we ought to dispose of bilge water "responsibly/thoughtfully" What do they expect us to do with the bilge water other than put it back in the river, take it home with us for disposal?

 

[tillergirl]

I was trying to be ironic.

 

[Leighb]

Bilge water may have entered from the river, but once in your bilge it becomes a contaminated and potentially hazardous fluid. ?
There is in fact a green option which is a special oil separating filter in the bilge pump outlet. Can’t remember the name offhand but there is one on my boat!
Perhaps they think everyone should have one?

 

[tillergirl]

Ah... there speaks the words of an owner of a plastic boat. Do you add oil into your bilge? Having a wooden boat I WILL NOT allow the engine to mark the bilges. Being 24 years old the engine is hardly likely to drip oil. Changing fuel filters requires double plastic bags, old toweling. 'tis pure seawater, albeit a bit of silt. Noffin else.

And when she is sinking, is it rather unfair to take the time to separate fluids?

And of course you plastic boat owners wash your cups and china, sorry it will be plastic plates, and do you then empty your sink water? 'tish, tish. A MWAB will of course use a salt water inlet for the sink so, as any detergent won't work, you can just wash the china and rinse and pump the sink water out. See it's about being thoughtful.

 

[johnalison]

Just a minute, my plates are not plastic. They aren't porcelain either but that heavy white glass stuff. If I started again, I would probably choose china crockery. I met a German lady who'd sailed with her intact set for thirty years.

 

[tillergirl]

Well, well, well. You being 'odd', can I interest you in a wooden boat?

 

[johnalison]

Well, well, well. You being 'odd', can I interest you in a wooden boat?

Yes. My house at school was 'Odds'. Did they really make boats out of wood?

 

[Triassic]

I wonder if perhaps this is a case of the recreational sailor being a consequential victim of another objective.

Are there by chance any significant "residential marinas" on the affected part of the Blackwater? Reason I ask is that the wording in the link "Moored vessels may no longer use sea toilets" seems to be targeted rather towards them than boating in general. Likewise the discharge of bilge water etc etc. Vessels mid river on a mooring are in moving water and very unlikely to make any significant impact on the local environment, regardless of what you had for dinner the day before...... A large number of converted barges, sheds on platforms and old lightships clustered together into a big island most certainly can...............

Anyway the answer is simple, pee off the back or slip your mooring before flushing!

 

[tillergirl]

I think I agree with your logic. Most 'moored' vessels at Maldon are on staging. In the last few years, there has been an increase in 'residential' boats and in the very confined area of Maldon, the consequences could be - unpleasant. The tide hardly rushes past Maldon. The targeting may be aimed at 'residential' boats.

 

[Tomahawk]

from MHIC

Most of these waters are nowadays included within the Blackwater Estuary Management Plan area, which designates the locality as one for nature conservation. The area is also classed as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a Special Protection Area (SPA) and bears the International Designation as a RAMSAR site. The waters also form part of the Essex Estuaries European Marine Site management scheme.

Funny that, I see a heck of a lot of sailors water, skiiers and mobos out on the water most weekends but never see hundreds of bug huggers. Yet the bug huggers get everything their way.

 

[DavidofMersea]

I think I agree with your logic. Most 'moored' vessels at Maldon are on staging. In the last few years, there has been an increase in 'residential' boats and in the very confined area of Maldon, the consequences could be - unpleasant. The tide hardly rushes past Maldon. The targeting may be aimed at 'residential' boats.

There more and more liveaboard boats moored at the Hythe, and now also a few caravans

 

[johnalison]

Funny that, I see a heck of a lot of sailors water, skiiers and mobos out on the water most weekends but never see hundreds of bug huggers. Yet the bug huggers get everything their way.

Are you sure? What does a bug-hugger look like?

 

[Daydream believer]

There more and more liveaboard boats moored at the Hythe, and now also a few caravans

Would not have though being in a moored caravan a very wise option. Need a lot of duct tape round the doors etc��
still, do not tell any travellers or you will be surrounded by dogs, old mattresses and fridges before you know it.
do Toyota Land cruisers float?

 

[Tomahawk]

I used to work with MDC. One of the meetings I had was about the river quality at the top of the Blackwater around Fullbridge. The sewage works at Langford and Witham pump huge quantities of treated sewage water into the Blackwater. We asked about the effect of this and IIRC were told, there is no water quality monitoring at the top of the river because no one swims there. Of course no one swims the because there is no water quality monitoring and no access to the river across the mud banks.

At times of very low river flow... like now.... the amount of treated sewage water is likely to be a significant issue for water quality around the top of the river. Probably much greater than a few houseboats and residential moorings.