Port of Salisbury - a hole in the water the Mayor is throwing your money into.

I've had my boat docked in a slip at the Port of Salisbury since we got it 3 years ago. So much has gone wrong there during those three years that I've actually had to convince myself that it's still worth it because it's convenient. Since it's only 15 minutes from our house, my wife and I slip away on an occasional Friday or Saturday night and stay on the boat. After what I learned today, I won't stay another season. My slip is paid up until the end of this summer and that's it.

When we first rented our slip, we paid an additional $75 a month for unlimited use of electricity. We left our heat units run one week due to the fact that we were back and forth. We received a phone call from the dockmaster stating we we using too much electricity. The dockmaster turned off our power because he thought we had used more than our money's worth. After a huge come to Jesus meeting with him and conversation with his boss at Coastal Property Mgmt. (the co. who runs it for the City of Salisbury), it was understood that the dockmaster has no right to shut off someones power when their bill is paid up. The next thing I knew, the dockmaster installed a meter without my permission and in violation of our lease agreement and asked me if I was trying to use more elecric than I was paying for. How stupid can one company be? Turns out I was using less than $75.....but an agreement is an agreement. He took the meter and put it on someone elses boat.

The same dockmaster engaged in an argument with another slipholder and it appears as though he threw a shoe at the slipholder striking him in the neck. I wrote a letter to Coastal Property Mgmt. and advised them of what went on. The mgr., known only to me as "Mitch" advised that the dockmaster was instucted to take anger management classes as a condition of his continued employment. During that same season, the gasoline pumps stopped working. I contacted the dockmaster to make arrangements for fueling only to learn that the pumps had not been working for a substantial period of time and that they were working on them. He stated that it would likely be another two weeks until they were working again. No letter to the slipholders, no phone calls - nothing. I asked him if he'd thought of calling the slipholders or writing them a letter to notify them of the fact that the pump would be down so that they could make other arrangements to get fuel in advance of any planned outting. He said it sounded like a good idea and that he would consider doing that next time. He didn't hesitate to call me when he thought I was using too much electricity! The pumps were repaired and we were back on line in a couple of weeks. That dockmaster worked there the remainder of that season and another before relocation to some far away nation - no kidding.

There was one hot summer morning my wife and I woke up on the boat and when we went outside, the smell was absolutely horrible. Smelled like shit - like someones holding tank had been dumped into the water. Later we learned that the WWTP had a massive spill and the water was full of sewage.

Here we are three years later. We have a new dockmaster. A kid fresh out of college (or so I understand). I called today to get some fuel so that my wife and I could take a small ride down the river and back. A young man answered the phone and told me that he had just started working there. The dockmaster was gone for the weekend (A holiday weekend!) and that there was no gasoline. WHAT? Yes! There hasn't been any for some time. According to the new kid, they're cleaning the tanks to put something a little more "environmentally friendly" in them. He stated they would be replacing gasoline with gasohol. A methanol blend. No notification of the pumps being down - again. But more importantly.....no notification of the intent to replace gasoline with the methanol blend! Methanol blend has been known to dissolve plastic fuel tanks with the passing of time. Plastic fuel tanks were frequently used in older boats.......like mine - like many other boats in that marina may have. Absolutely no planning.

If you look at the marina it's easy to see that the number of boats dwindle every year. Don't let anyone tell you it's the economy and the price of fuel. The cost of fuel IS affecting boaters - it's keeping them in port. If they choose to sell their boats, they can't - because no one is buying. Common sense tells you that they will stay in port.

The reason boats are leaving is POOR SERVICE! The cleats on the docks and pilings are loose. The trees along side of the walkways grew over the walkways and you had to duck down two feet and almost low crawl to the parking lot before someone cut them back. The grass was two feet high before it was cut. The marina is neglected and improperly managed.

Boaters at the Port of Salisbury have two choices for gasoline now. Wicomico Yacht Club or Deal Island. I'm gonna call a local fuel co. to see if they can send a truck to deliver gasoline this week. I won't be putting the "new" stuff in my tanks.

That's $1600.00 less you'll be getting from me this year Mayor! Could you possibly f**k this city up any more than you already have.

C'MON Pirates Cove!