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Board eyes moving no‑wake buoys to curb silting; bylaw change would require town meeting
Summary
Members raised shoreline silting near Code 2/Little Cove attributed to ferry wakes and proposed moving no-wake buoys (potentially to Buoy 5). Members and staff noted moving a no-wake zone is a bylaw change requiring town meeting and recommended collecting data and scientific support first.
The Harbor Shellfish Advisory Board discussed shoreline changes near Code 2 and Little Cove the board said may be linked to increased wake from high-speed ferries. Chair described a new shoal forming in Little Cove and urged the Harbormaster and scientists to consider moving no-wake buoys farther out to reduce nearshore erosion and sedimentation.
Dave (board member) said he believed scientific groups, eelgrass specialists, and the town's biologists would support relocating the buoys to deeper water and suggested Buoy 5 as a candidate location that would add only about a minute and a half to ferry transit time. Board members cautioned the change is governed by a bylaw (Wharves and Waterways), and Dave noted such a change "would have to go to town meeting" because it is a bylaw amendment.
Members proposed studying the issue this summer, including installing sensors or engaging interns to record surge and wave action at the horse shed and Hulbert Avenue shoal. Jim asked for data showing whether ferry-induced surge or another process is responsible for the new shoal. The board agreed to keep the item on the agenda, solicit input from Natural Resources staff (Tara) and the Land Council, and assemble scientific support ahead of any town-meeting proposal.
No formal vote was taken; the board left the topic on the next meeting agenda and discussed research partnerships and potential town-meeting scheduling as next steps.
