City, Sea Tow continue partnership
Published 6:44 pm Wednesday, February 20, 2013
When a partnership benefits all parties involved, that partnership usually continues for a long time.
That’s the situation with the City of Washington and Sea Tow Pamlico.
The city and Sea Tow Pamlico (doing business as Inland Enterprises LLC) have executed a new waterfront docking agreement. The agreement runs from April 1, 2013, to March 31, 2014. The city and Sea Tow Pamlico, operated by captain Larry Williams, have had similar agreements in the past.
The agreement calls for the city to provide Sea Tow Pamlico docking space for one of its vessels along the city’s waterfront.
In a memorandum to the mayor and City Council, Kristi H. Roberson, the city’s parks and recreation manager, reports that Sea Tow Pamlico’s presence at the city docks is proving beneficial.
“During the past year Sea Tow Pamlico has been an invaluable resource to the Waterfront Docks Division, giving advice and assistance to the staff and boaters alike,” Roberson wrote in the memorandum. “Dock attendants have request logs be removed from the docks an average of once a per month via work order and other times while Larry Williams, owner, was on site.
“Sea Tow continues to be an asset to the community as well. During recent storms, his (Williams’) expertise has guided planning and recovery. His experience and contacts with other marinas has been a good resource when comparing policies, rules and regulations. His availability in the area has enabled him to be off assistance to our “resident” boaters as well as the community at large.”
In his letter asking to continue his relationship with the city, Williams wrote: “Sea Tow has enjoyed a great boating year (2012) providing assistance for local boaters. We responded to 72 calls for mechanical failures, fuel drops, battery jumps, groundings and multiple prop disentanglements from lost crab pots.”
During a severe thunderstorm this past summer, Sea Tow responded to a call concerning a man who fell off as boat. Sea Tow recovered the boat, which was adrift with the family on it, while the city emergency personnel pulled the man from the water.
The letter notes that Sea Tow is working with the city’s parks and recreation personnel concerning installation of a kiosk where boaters may borrow life jackets if there are not enough life jackets on their vessels. Also, the kiosk would provide boating information concerning the area, such as where no-wake zones are located in area waters.