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What Is St Mary's County Essay

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St Mary’s county is considered to be part of the Western Shore and extends from Charlotte Hall to its most Southern tip at Point Lookout. The peninsula is bordered by the Potomac Rivers, the Patuxent River on the northeast and the Chesapeake Bay to the east making it an ideal spot for abundant water activities such as fishing, jet skiing, water skiing, kayaking, and paddle boarding. The concern is that the access to these waterways is limited, especially in Leonardtown. Local water enthusiasts desiring to launch their crafts have to do so in remote locations throughout St Mary’s County. These include Abell's Wharf, Chaptico Wharf, Great Mills kayak and canoe launch, Greenwell State Park, Piney Point Landing, and lots of others throughout …show more content…

Including the roadway will make it more efficient for boaters to get their boat in the water and so that kayakers and paddle boarders don't have to lug their heavy and awkward shaped craft a couple hundred feet anymore. To use the launch and slips, a permit is needed which will be granted from the town. This fixture will be a convenience and will be a much nicer upgrade to the “kayak launch” at the wharf now. Currently there is a 6 x 6 soft launch that serves as an access point to the water. It is very unstable and remains submerged during high tide. According to Gabrielle Giovenco, a local kayaker/paddle boarder, the launch is positioned to far distance from the parking lot and is unstable which makes it difficult to safely launch you’re vessel. The dock is also black which makes it very difficult to stand on in the summer when the sun is at its peak. “The constant burn on my feet is terrible.”(Giovenco, Gabrielle) Following a six month analysis of different style docks/launches, I have determined that a floating dock with boat slips, a fishing area, and a launch for kayaks and canoes would be the better fit for the Wharf than a hard dock. It will not only address current concerns, but it will also allow for future expansion at the Wharf site. When entering from Washington Street the new dock will remain in its current location resulting in less of an inconvenience for everyone.

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