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Manners Matter: Share the Water – It’s a Public Resource

Dear Mary Pat,

It was a busy weekend in the county and in the water. My family and I are local, and we often launch our boat in Fish Creek or Ephraim. We are very efficient once we get our turn to back up to the ramp. There was another boat launcher who tried to cut in front of us and then gave us the stink eye. Then we got out into the bay to anchor, and a homeowner along the shoreline also gave us dirty looks when we came within 100 feet of the home’s private dock. There were a lot of boats out, and we were just looking for a space to hang for the afternoon. It’s a short enough boating season, and it would be even more pleasant if people would take their manners to the water as well. 

Signed,

Boating Betty

Fish Creek, Wisconsin

Dear Boating Betty,

Holiday weekends are particularly busy in the county, and a little patience can go a long way. Traffic is traffic whether it’s on 42, 57, at the boat launch or in the bay. We have to learn how to share space because the water is a public resource. One should never trespass on private beaches and docks, but the water belongs to everyone. 

Good luck,

Mary Pat