All Clear in Clipper Cove

"The last boat is gone!" read an email sent last week from Mirian Saez, Director of Operations for Treasure Island. Unfortunately, we received it the day after the April issue of Latitude 38 went to press — too late to change the Sightings piece on Clipper Cove stating that only one derelict was left in the anchorage. Last year around this time, we featured Saez and her plan to clean up Clipper Cove. When we met with her at Treasure Island, 28 boats anchored in the cove had been there more than 30 days. Today there are none.

Most of the success of Saez’s plan can be directly linked to the anchoring permit process developed by her staff — thanks to tremendous input by Latitude readers. Her goal was to make it impossible for people to permanently anchor in Clipper Cove while leaving it accessible to recreational boaters, and it seems to have worked. "We haven’t heard from anyone that the new system is too onerous," she said.

The new rules in Clipper Cove are relatively common sense: don’t dump your holding tank into the cove, don’t dump your trash into the cove, don’t be a nuisance to others (which encompasses the first two, if you think about it), etc. (Click to download a PDF of the complete rules.) If you’re simply spending one night, enjoy. If you want to spend the weekend, call (415) 274-0382 or send a message through the website letting TIDA know your plans (include your name, cell number, boat name and registration numbers). If you need to stay longer than three days, you have to go into the office to fill out a permit application. "We’re flexible," Saez said about TIDA’s granting permits. "When the weather was so bad this winter, we accommodated the boats in the anchorage."

Readers will also be pleased to know that TIDA has removed most — possibly all — of the sunken wrecks that claimed rec boaters’ anchors each year. Saez’s email noted that divers will be checking out a lone yellow float that is reportedly tied to the last sunken wreck in the cove. If there is indeed a wreck down there, Saez says it will be removed immediately.

If you’re planning to head over to Clipper Cove to see what anchoring close to shore is like — previously impossible due to all the anchor-outs — be aware that Treasure Isle Marina now boasts a free holding tank pump-out station for those who need to ‘freshen up’ during their stay. Harbormaster Roger Ladwig also wanted to remind folks that, while tying up at their docks during the day is just $10, anchored boats are welcome to tie up their dinghies for free — but only during office hours, Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., as you need a key to get in and out of the marina. "We’re working on a better solution so folks can enjoy the Treasure Island Bar & Grill at any time," said Ladwig, "but we don’t want anyone getting locked out." Heck, with the bar right there, at least they’d have someplace to drown their sorrows!