Improving economy bringing boaters back to inlet marina

Looking for signs of an improving economy? Check out the state's marina area on the north side of Indian River Inlet. Right now as winter turns to spring, the parking lots are chock full of boats out of the water in winter storage. Soon those boats will go back into the marina's slips, and every slip will be full.

The building holding three levels of dry-stack storage is likewise full of boats.

"We have waiting lists for everything," said Pat Cooper, regional parks administrator for Delaware's Division of Parks. "Slips and dry stack. When we raised rates a few years back, lots of boaters left. But they're coming back now. The economy must be better.

"Boats are like having a Harley," he said. "They're not a real high priority when the economy tightens up."

In the years shortly after the crash of 2008, midsummer saw almost half of the slips at Indian River empty.

Now, work is underway to help meet the increased demand and activity. Cooper said queueing docks are being added at the marina to allow boaters with their vessels in dry stack to get in their boats without waiting as long.

Cape Henlopen and Delaware Seashore state parks - the state's two busiest parks - are part of Cooper's purview. He estimated - roughly - that the two parks draw in the realm of 3 million visitors each year. Beaches and water are the primary reason visitors come to Delaware.

Other work underway that will be visible to visitors when they come to Sussex parks this year includes a new parking lot for the boat launching area at Holts Landing State Park on Indian River Bay and a new playground for the campground on the south side of Indian River Inlet. "The Holts Landing work is in its preconstruction phase," said Cooper, "and the playground work is underway. The Holts Landing launching ramp is well used, so this work will beef up the parking there. And at the campground, the playground we're replacing has been in service for 20 years. It's rusting and it's time. The new playground will be very nice."

Cooper said no specific new projects are underway at Cape Henlopen State Park. "It's status quo there. We're just trying to maintain."

He said he wouldn't be surprised to see growing numbers of visitors to the Tower Road beach area of Delaware Seashore State Park, just south of Dewey Beach, and to the Gordons Pond area of Cape Henlopen State Park north of Rehoboth Beach. "With increasing hourly parking rates in Rehoboth Beach, people may look elsewhere for the day. Also, the ban in Rehoboth on canopy-style tents on the beach may send people to state areas where they are allowed. Our concessionaire at Gordons Pond rents them."

Cooper said Rehoboth is also considering raising the day-long parking rate at its Deauville Beach lot to $20. "That could send more people our way too. That area is actually part of Cape Henlopen State Park, but we have leased it to Rehoboth Beach to manage for many years."

Trails workshop postponed

The Division of Parks postponed a public worship at Lewes Public Library this week due to the midweek storm. Purpose of the workshop - to be rescheduled - is to gather public comment on a trail concept plan for Cape Henlopen State Park. The park currently is home to 18.3 miles of walking and bicycling trails. The concept plan would add 12.5 miles of new trails to the park including a 1.8-mile equestrian trail.

The greatest expansion would be a several-mile perimeter trail around the fields at the canal end of Wolfe Neck. Those state-owned fields in the park are currently used for spray irrigation of treated wastewater but are slated to be taken offline. Sussex County plans to shift wastewater sprayed there to the fields of the Inland Bays Wastewater Treatment facility north of Millsboro, and to the Lewes Board of Public Works wastewater treatment facility which has excess capacity.

More on that concept plan will be published after the rescheduled workshop - date to be determined - is held.

Housekeeping

Thanks to the readers of my last column, on Anguilla, for pointing out that I mistakenly identified the British protectorate as one of the windward islands in the West Indies chain of the Caribbean. Anguilla is one of the leeward islands, but that lee status didn't do it much good when Category 5 Hurricane Irma slammed into it last September.

Thanks also to Sara Wilkinson for commenting on my column about the famous Milton Sticky Buns. She enjoyed making them and reminiscing in the process. "There is one name that was not mentioned but who originated these, and that was Grace Millman," wrote Sara. "She was prior to Alice Marvel baking those scrumptiously delicious, non weight-watcher buns."

Whether on hurricanes or sticky buns, I appreciate our readers' help in keeping me straight.