OCEAN CITY, Md. - Long-time visitor Kathy DeFrancesco has witnessed firsthand the challenges posed by shallow waters in Ocean City and Assateague Island, particularly for larger boats.
"A couple of years ago, there was a very large commercial boat that was stuck right out in front of us by the rocks in front of the Assateague Island, and she was stuck out there for several hours. And that boat is no longer in the harbor. It went farther north so it could get up, didn't have to deal with the dredging issue and with being stuck," shared DeFrancesco.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has announced plans to address the shallow waterways through dredging. The targeted areas include the Assateague Shoal, two priority zones within the Ocean City Inlet, and the junction between the Isle of Wight and Inlet channels.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are gearing up to commence dredging operations this week, and the dredging operation is expected to last approximately two weeks.
Mariners can contact the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredge on marine band radio VHF-FM channels 13 and 16Â for updates and assistance.