[VitaBene]

Canoe registration fee will be need to pay for recovery efforts
To the editor,
I’m not sure what lake, or planet for
that matter, Mr. Weeks or Mr. Chase
refer to when they write of a noticeable
difference with the new boating
speed limit law. For the record, I am
a New Hampshire native and I am
on the lake Spring, Summer and Fall.
You know they are truly making this
up because they even claim the boating
traffic was still brisk. Who are
they kidding? By all accounts this
was the lightest boat traffic Summer
of any I’ve witnessed during my lifelong
residency in the Lakes Region.
Between this wonderful economy
and the lovely Summer weather, it
shouldn’t be much of a surprise that
there were very few boats on the lakes
this year. The only thing the boating
speed limit accomplished was slowing
down a few boats so I now get to listen
to them go by longer and I still get to
enjoy those ginormous boats wreck
my dock and erode my shoreline as
they leave their tsunami wake behind
them at 15 mph.
It sounds to me like these gentlemen
are speaking for the “I moved
here from somewhere else and it’s now
my lake” crowd. Our current band of
legislatures are experts at dropping
everything to debate yet another
meaningless problem like this one.
Meanwhile, Rome continues to burn.
As for boat safety, I did see several
brave souls attempt a canoe trip
across the dangerously windy and
wavy barren lake. I’m sure there will
be a few fatalities in the future for
those visitors who think a speed limit
will now let them safely navigate the
wavy waters in their tiny boats. I definitely
see the need for a canoe registration
fee to help pay the costs of the
rescue teams that will be looking for
their bodies. Of course the next step
for these liberals will be to pass a law
requiring all passengers to wear a life
jacket. Seriously, why not completely
kill what’s left to the lake economy
and what used to be a fun lake