NOTICE TO BOATERS

The Coast Guard publishes a weekly Notice to Mariners about navigational hazards or changes along the sea coasts. Ship captains use it to update their charts by hand until the next updated chart is published.
This Notice to Boaters page is meant to do the same for boaters on Grand Lake. Here you can find out news about changes of interest only to boaters on Grand -- ranging from changes in Buoys to GRDA actions to changes in state boating laws, to new marinas and facilities on the lake, etc.
Notes are dated, with the newest ones on top. Be sure to visit this page frequently!
Click here to submit a note to this list by email.

7/19/06 Zebra Mussels Update — Bad News and Good News

Zebra Mussels are those D-shaped tiny mollusk critters that have been infesting lakes across the country. Once established in a lake they attach to anything underwater, literally covering every square inch, and cause havoc with a lake's ecology, reducing gamefish populations, not to mention their adverse affect on boat motors, docks, water intake systems, etc. Originally from the Caspian Sea, they arrived in the U.S. first in the Great Lakes, transferred by ocean going ships. Since then they have been spreading to lakes across the midwest. (See map, with picture inset of a Zebra Mussel). In February 2005 one was confirmed found in the Grand Lake near the Disney boat ramp, but when the GRDA was unable to find any more over the next 16 months hopes were on the rise that they had not become established here. However, on Monday, July 17, the GRDA announced another Zebra Mussel had been found in Grand Lake, which appears to dash those hopes. Once Zebra Mussels get started, their population explodes exponentially at an alarming speed. This is a serious problem that could affect the quality of fishing, boating, and living on Grand Lake.

That's the bad news. The good news is that scientists at Cambridge University in England claim to have invented a "bio-bullet" that can target and kill the Zebra Mussels without harming other life in the lake. According to a report in Practical Fishkeeping magazine, the "bio-bullet is a pill laced with a potassium chloride dose designed to kill the mussel through its filter-feeding mechanism." If the claim can be confirmed, perhaps Grand Lake can be spared the fate of other lakes that have been devestated by the ZMs. Oolagah Lake, for example, already has a bad problem with them — According to Joe Bidwell (Oklahoma State University), "concrete panels that have been hanging at Redbud Marina at Oologah Reservoir since last year contained an average density of ~155,000 zebra mussels per square meter. This is similar to maximum densities seen on the same size panels in Lake Erie in the early 1990's." (100th Meridian website).

In the meantime, please help our other local lakes avoid these problems. If you remove your boat from Grand and take it to another lake, be sure to drain and dry your bait wells and other places where standing water collects on your boat so that the microscopic larvae of these critters isn't transfered to another lake. Experts also recommend inspecting your boat and scraping off mussels you find, and washing the hull and lower unit with "hot water, chlorine bleach and water, or a saltwater solution."

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Grand Lake Flotilla, has placed Zebra Mussel warning signs at selected popular boat ramps around Grand Lake with information on how to stop their spread. (See photo).

Other lakes in the area where ZMs have been found (according to the Tulsa World) are Keystone, Kaw, Skiatook, Oolagah, and Sooner. The McClellan-Kerr Navigation Waterway also is believed to have them. Hudson and Gibson — downstream from Grand — will also get them if Grand gets them.
For terrific detailed info on Zebra Mussels from the USGS, click here.
For more info about how to inspect and clear your boat of ZMs, click here.

7/11/06 New Snag near Ice Box Point

Boater Mike Annas reports an apparently new hazard (see Chart 11):
"It is located SSE off the eastern-most point about 150 yards out in 34 feet of water. I thought it might be a floater, but I pulled up to it and tugged and it didn't want to budge. What is scary is that it is that far out and in deep water also. ..." A new snag here is in the normal channel and would indeed be an easy one to hit, so boaters are advised to be careful when transiting this area and keep a lookout for it.

5/28/06 Hazardous Tree Near Patricia Island

A Chartbook reader reports a new floating hazard:
"There is a very large floating tree between Patricia Island housing addition and the actual Patricia Island. It has been there for at least a week and is hard to see until your almost upon it. Just take this area slowly because it isn't very deep."

5/21/06 Coast Guard Auxiliary

If you are a boater who is looking for new adventures on the water and/or a way to help out your country, consider joining the Coast Guard Auxiliary in the Grand Lake Flotilla. Not only will it increase your boating skills when taking their (free) advanced training, but you can participate in safety patrols and even Homeland Security activities. It is all volunteer work. They are looking for new members. Click here to send a request for information to them.

5/15/06 Low Water Blues

You think this Spring's prolonged period of low water was bad on Grand Lake? It was nothing compared to what Grand's GRDA sister to the south, Lake Hudson, had to endure. Click here for some scary pictures!

4/8/06 Hazardous Rock Reported Near Holiday Shores Boat Ramp

Anthony Norwood reports a hazard in Hickory Grove (Chart #10). Here is his account: "I have found the Grand Chartbook very helpful with staying clear of the submerged hazards that are present in our great lake. However, about 3 weeks ago I hit a possible submerged rock or rocks leaving the Holiday shores launching area, in Hickory Grove. I felt like I was far enough out away from the point which would be on the starboard side leaving the launch area, that I would clear any obstructions. I was sure wrong!!!! I just hit it at idle speed with my fish & ski boat but that was fast enough to leave 2 punctures and spider cracks in the hull. So I just wanted to throw caution to the wind to my fellow neighbors of Holiday shores when exiting the launching area and heading out into cowskin bay, take a slight turn to port and remain at idle speed with outboard trimmed up as high as its water intake ports will allow. I sure would not recommend anyone launching a big heavy boat especially an inboard/outdrive boat at the Holiday shores ramp. The point must extend a fair distance underwater than would be obvious to the naked eye, my neighbors instructed me to veer left away from the point when leaving the launch area. I just didnt want anyone else to make the same mistake I did."

3/30/06 Rock Reported in Dilar Cove

Pete Norwood reports hitting a rock in Dilar Cove, at the far end of the narrow cove, but still out in the middle where one would normally assume there is sufficient depth. This area is shown on the chart as "under 10 feet" but due to the narrowness of the cove no specific depth there is given, and the rock is not marked. I recommend marking your chart with a hazard ("*") symbol an exercising extra caution in that area.

1/23/06 Danger Above: A List of Power Lines Hazards on Grand Lake, by The Power Squadron

Boaters please take note of the excellent list below of potential hazards on Grand Lake found by the Grand Lake Sail and Power Squadron. You may want to mark your charts with this information, particularly if you have a sailboat and are thus vulnerable to overhead power lines. Many thanks to the GLSPS for developing this information. The GLSPS describes the project and info they obtained as follows:

“In 2004, it was brought to the attention of the Grand Lake Sail and Power Squadron that there are many electrical power lines over parts of Grand Lake. These lines could be a hazard to sailboats or other high- profile boats.
Early in 2005, the Squadron decided, as a safety project, to attempt to locate these lines using GPS coordinates. This information would be provided to anyone interested including the Northeast Oklahoma Electric Cooperative, the Grand River Dam Authority, and to the publishers of The Grand Chartbook which is a set of nautical charts for Grand Lake. The publishers of The Grand Chartbook have agreed to make the information available on their website (www.grandchartbook.com) so that owners of the chartbook can mark their books accordingly. The information will also be included in subsequent versions of the chartbook.
This project was not an easy task since the lake has a long shoreline with many coves, but we have located many power lines during the course of the year. There is no guarantee that all of the power lines were located. No attempt was made to determine ownership of the power lines, since that was beyond the scope of the project. In many cases it was obvious that the lines were part of private dock wiring and in many cases the power lines appeared to be main supply lines. Also, no attempt was made to determine the height of the lines above the water due to safety considerations.
Since The Grand Chartbook is the best and most comprehensive chart or map of the lake, the information is presented by referring to pages of the chartbook and noting the name of a nearby cove. The GPS coordinates are given as degrees, minutes, and decimals of a minute.”

Page Number	Name of Cove or Nearby Cove	GPS Coordinates
1	Scotty’s Cove	N 36° 30.067' W 095° 02.690'
1	Scotty’s Cove	N 36° 30.090' W 095° 02.570'
1	Scotty’s Cove	N 36° 30.170' W 095° 02.337'
1	Ketchum Cove	N 36° 31.050' W 095° 01.427'
1	Ketchum Cove (Pelican Point)	N 36° 30.406' W 095° 00.683'
2	Lawhead Hollow	N 36° 29.838' W 094° 57.757'
2	Ghost Hollow	N 36° 29.547' W 094° 58.378'
2	Fishtail Cove	N 36° 30.762' W 094° 58.606'
3	Arrowhead Point	N 36° 32.083' W 094° 58.566'
3	Arrowhead Point	N 36° 32.205' W 094° 58.539'
4	Windmill Cove	N 36° 30.319' W 094° 56.889'
5	Big Hollow	N 36° 31.831' W 094° 54.745'
5	Grand Tara	N 36° 33.898' W 094° 55.546'
5	Grand Tara	N 36° 33.853' W 094° 55.548'
5	Paradise Cove	N 36° 34.205' W 094° 55.321'
5	Red Arrow	N 36° 34.458' W 094° 55.065'
5	Red Arrow	N 36° 34.483' W 094° 55.033'
5	Red Arrow	N 36° 34.557' W 094° 55.050'
6	Horse Creek (N of Bernice Bridge)	N 36° 38.434' W 094° 54.215'
7	Near Har-Ber Village	N 36° 34.739' W 094° 49.625'
8	Courthouse Hollow	N 36° 32.939' W 094° 48.524'
8	Courthouse Hollow	N 36° 32.935' W 094° 48.163'
8	Near Dilar Cove	N 36° 33.511' W 094° 48.501
8	Near Dilar Cove	N 36° 33.532' W 094° 48.528
8	Smitty’s Cove	N 36° 34.674' W 094° 47.968'
8	Near “Fifth and Boston”	N 36° 34.055' W 094° 49.143'
9	Tara Miranda	N 36° 36.508' W 094° 52.069'
10	Quail Run Marina	N 36° 35.638' W 094° 48.338'
10	Near Red Rock Cove	N 36° 37.856' W 094° 47.056'
10	Near Red Rock Cove	N 36° 38.049' W 094° 46.640'
10	Near Red Rock Cove	N 36° 38.162' W 094° 46.208'
10	Cedar Cove	N 36° 38.472' W 094° 45.625'
10	Cedar Cove	N 36° 38.520' W 094° 45.604'
10	Cedar Cove	N 36° 38.581' W 094° 45.661'
10	Cedar Cove	N 36° 38.607' W 094° 45.631'
11	Reed Point	N 36° 38.924' W 094° 45.657'
11	Blue Bluff	N 36° 38.755' W 094° 44.733'
11	Blue Bluff	N 36° 38.711' W 094° 44.753'
11	Blue Bluff	N 36° 38.688' W 094° 44.785'
11	Wolfe Point	N 36° 37.828' W 094° 47.675'
11	Elk River East	N 36° 38.935' W 094° 43.391'
11	Elk River North	N 36° 39.574' W 094° 43.554'
11	Ponderosa	N 36° 39.914' W 094° 44.555'
11	Grand River West	N 36° 39.821' W 094° 47.000'
11	Grand River West	N 36° 39.847' W 094° 47.020'
11	Paradise Point	N 36° 40.378' W 094° 46.041'
11	Paradise Point	N 36° 40.459' W 094° 46.048'
11	Paradise Point	N 36° 40.523' W 094° 46.340'
11	Paradise Point	N 36° 40.527' W 094° 46.208'
11	Paradise Point	N 36° 40.677' W 094° 46.301'
11	Paradise Point	N 36° 40.694' W 094° 46.260'
11	Paradise Point	N 36° 40.679' W 094° 46.217'

9/1/05 New LIGHTHOUSE Installed off Weed Island

The Lake Patrol installed a new lighthouse today to mark Weed Island (see Chart #9). The light is located a few feet off the Southeast tip of the island in about 3 feet of water, up on stilts. It thus marks the point where the shallows drop off into deep water. (See picture). It is a white flashing light.

If you are traveling north from Patricia Island toward Sailboat Bridge at night, you can now sight the new Weed Island Lighthouse and head to the south of it. Give the light a wide berth as you pass around it, leaving it to port. This will lead you efficiently into the safe deepwater channel (now also marked by buoys, see below). Vice versa if you are traveling the other direction, but be sure not to cut the corner into shallow waters off of Royal Bay near the bridge.

9/1/05 Lights Back On, Light Maintenance Improved.

The lights reported out in earlier posts have long been fixed. In the past the GRDA took its time getting to fix them but now they have instituted a new effort to keep them burning continuously by checking them early every morning (when they are most likely to go out after being on all night).

8/20/05 Lighthouse Out at Check In Bay

D C 'Mac' Macdonald reports that the lighthouse light at Check In Bay was inoperative. (See chart #1).

7/20/05 New Buoys Placed on Lake by GRDA

The GRDA Lake Patrol has begun an effort to improve the buoy system on Grand, which was out of compliance with national standards. Old buoys of the wrong kind were removed, and they have been installing new "correct" buoys at various spots around the lake. There is a lighted hazard buoy near Quarry Rock (Chart 9), although I haven't verified its location. They also installed a series of four "gates" (red and green buoys marking the edges of a channel) to show the safe southern course around Weed Island (Chart 9). Rumor has it that they are also going to install a lighthouse on Weed Island, which would of course be very useful.

7/11/05 Paradise Cove Resort Marina shown in wrong location.

D C 'Mac' Macdonald reports that the actual location of the marina is on north side of the cove north around the point from the displayed location. (See chart #5, where the purple number "1" is. It should be at the unnamed little cove with depth 45 shown just to its northeast instead of the cove shown.) He gives the approximate coordinates are: N36 34.4, W094 54.9. The marina here has a large red lighted sign reading "Paradise".

11/17/04 "Rapier" Should be "Raper" Hollow

Larry Slawson reports that "Rapier Hollow" should be "Raper Hollow". Larry explains the name change, which is repeated on many different maps including the Chartbook, is the result of a recent error.
"Several years ago I had the pleasure to meet a retired Oklahoma Highway Patrolman named George Raper. George lived east of Tijuana off Hwy. 28. He recently passed away. He told me that Raper Hollow was named after his... grandfather who owned much of the land there. The Rapier Hollow name came about when Russ Hogan built the marina in Raper Hollow. Hogan misspelled the name of the cove and it stuck in some cases. The misspelling of Raper Hollow was a real sore subject for George."
Checks confirm that older maps call it "Raper Hollow", so this appears to be the correct name and will be changed in future editions of the chartbook.

10/30/04 Honey Creek Light Now Working

Honey Creek Light ("23", chart 8) was reported out last month, but is now flashing brightly, even in daytime.

10/02/04 Light Problems

Honey Creek Light ("23", chart 8) is reported to be out.
Two Trees Island Light ("12", chart 5) is reported to now be Red instead of Amber.

06/07/04 Names Update: Skipper Ross Cove

Alan Ford has contributed the name of the unknown cove in Honey Creek (the first cove on the right (south) as you enter, before Dilar Cove). "This is Ross Cove or Skipper Ross Cove," he says. "Skipper Ross owned this land off of lake road 6 in the 40's and 50's."

05/15/04 New DUCK CREEK RULES!

Once again the rules have been changed — this time to favor businesses on Duck Creek and small fast boats. The three rows of buoys have been replaced with a single row of mixed buoys down the middle. The new rules are:
(1) All watercraft legally trailerable and/or watercraft 30 feet or less in length, shall operate at a planing speed not to exceed 30 mph. (Either go no wake or go at planing speed -- not in-between. Stay near the middle on the correct side of the buoys).
(2) All other watercraft shall operate at slow speed producing minimum wake.
(3) Beginning May 1 and ending October 1, a no wake zone shall be in effect each night between 8:30pm and 6:30am.

05/01/04 Water Intake Near Shangri-La

A user points out that the floating Monkey Island Water Intake should be marked on the chart. It looks like a boathouse and is about the same size, but is perhaps a little further offshore than most boathouses (about 100 feet). It is well marked and fenced off with warning signs. The location of the intake is N36-34.127, W095-50.442. Please mark this spot on your chart, and give it a wide berth. Future editions of the chart will be updated to include this hazard.

04/15/04 Uncharted Hazard Near East Bay, Monkey Island

Two users have reported a dangerous submerged rock located just off the large point that forms the south side of the entrance to East Bay, Monkey Island (Chart 9). Apparently this rock was "covered" until recently by a boathouse, but is now open and easily hit if you cut this corner too closely. Please mark this spot on your chart, and give it a wide berth. Future editions of the chart will be updated to include this hazard.

04/04/04 Four Minor Chart Errors Reported:

The Shangri-La Marina phone number (on Chart 7 Info Supplement) is wrong. It should be 257-4898.

The photo of Upper Duck Creek, Chart 3 Supplement, is looking Northwest, not Northeast as stated.

The boat ramp at Hammerhead Marina (Chart 1, location 2) is shown on the north side of the creek when it actually should be on the western end.

The Introduction, page 1, speaks of the lighthouse symbol being a "purple slash with a black dot". Of course, this slash looks more red now than purple on the actual printed charts.

03/22/04 GPS Listing Error on Chart

One of the GPS coordinates listed in the Grand Chartbook is incorrect. On Chart 1, Entrance to "Scotty's Cove", the second coordinate incorrectly reads W 94º02.420. It should read W 95º02.420. Please make this correction on your chart.

03/12/04 Grand Chartbook Debut

At the risk of tooting our own horn, objectively The Grand Chartbook is a major advance in navigation information for Grand Lake. On this day the new Grand Chartbook will be debut for sale in "sneak preview" at the Grove Boat Show, March 12-14 at the Civic Center. It will be sold exclusively at the U.S.Coast Guard Auxiliary booth, to raise funds for the organization. Thereafter its official release date is March 19, when it will be available at marinas and selected retailers around Grand.

03/01/04 Two Trees Island

The light is reported to be out on the Two Trees Island lighthouse.

02/01/04 Aids to Navigation Study

The Grand Lake Flotilla of the U.S.Coast Guard Auxiliary has begun a study of the "Aids to Navigation" (ATONS) on Grand Lake, with a view to creating a program to improve existing buoys and lights, and possibly adding new aids to the many unmarked hazardous spots on the lake. Results of the study and an announcement of a plan will occur later this Spring. One action being contemplated by the Auxiliary is a work detail to fix the heavily-deteriorated foundation of the lighthouse on Two Trees Island. Stay tuned to the Notice to Boaters for updates.