Half Of Blind Pass To Become Boating Raceway
To speed or not to speed will become the question for boaters using Blind Pass to either travel to or from the Gulf of Mexico.
Responding to citizen complaints, the City of St. Pete Beach has recently passed a new ordinance that will make Blind Pass a full time minimum wake zone. The intent of the ordinance is to slow boating traffic along Blind Pass for safety reasons and also to prevent further damage to homeowner's sea walls. Sea walls can suffer damage over the long term from the wake caused by speeding boats.
According to our sources within St. Pete Beach's City Hall, the city will take on a zero tolerance stance on boaters who violate the new Minimum Wake Zone Ordinance. The City of St. Pete Beach has purchased a new Police boat that along with specially trained Officers will be able to quickly curtail anyone who either thinks they can violate the new ordinance or anyone who actually tries to violate the minimum wake standard.
While St. Pete Beach is taking a serious stance on these water borne hooligans, Treasure Island is taking it's normal passive stance and is doing nothing to either increase the strength of the Treasure Island current ordinance or measures to beef up enforcing the current speed restrictions.
Treasure Island's current ordinance for speeding on Blind Pass requires that boat traffic travel at a minimum wake zone on weekends and holidays. During the week it is feared the Treasure Island side of Blind Pass will turn into a speedway.
T I Beach Bums contacted an expert in boating safety and enforcement of boating laws and restrictions. Og Oggilby of the Society of Lawfull Outboard Boating (SLOB) told T I Beach Bums that just creating restrictions alone will not slow boaters down. New laws along with education and new methods of enforcement combine to make boaters more aware of local boating regulations.
Og suggested that after Treasure Island passes new boating regulations that the City invest in new methods of enforcement including the purchase of a high speed pursuit boat and equiping Officers manning the boat with automatic weapons.
Og finished by noting, "Nothing will slow down a non-compliant boater faster than firing a few rounds from an automatic weapon across his bow."