| Petition for A Kings Bay Shoreline Idle Speed Kayak/Canoe Corridor |
| This petiton is sponsored by Aardvark's Florida Kayak Company, a paddlesport retailer and outfitter and Aarvark's Nature Coast Kayakers, a Citrus County Paddling Club with the support of many Bay users and local residents. www.FloridaKayakCompany.com |
| Proposed Safe Zone Click on Map to Enlarge |
| Winter Zone Click on Map to Enlarge |
| Summer Zone Click on Map to Enlarge |
| With the increased recreational use of Kings Bay, the potential for fatal or life threatening watercraft collisions has greatly increased. Watercraft use of the bay has changed significantly since the original speed zones were established. There are now many more slow moving non-motorized vessels which must transit a high speed, shoreline to shoreline, watersport zone in order to reach most destinations on the bay during the summer months. Given that all users have the right to enjoy the natural beauty of the bay in a reasonable manner, we ask that an idle speed corridor be created around certain shorelines in the bay to allow safe transit. All of the free public access launch facilities are located on the north end of the Bay, while most of the destinations are located on the south end. The watersport zone is located on the north and middle portions of the bay. This petition seeks to create a 100' shoreline idle speed "safe" zone for non-motorized craft on the edge of the Sport Zone and around Buzzard Island, which is owned and managed by the USFWS as part of the Crystal River NWR. Non-motorized craft now greatly outnumber PWCs and other powerboats that use the watersport zone for high speed recreation. Note that this petition does not seek to exclude any user from the safe zone, but merely establishes a reasonable speed in a corridor comprising a small portion of the existing watersport zone. While we believe that a year around slow speed is a preferable alternative, the corridor concept will at least increase the safety margins for all concerned. |