Point No Point boat launch design in the works

In the late summer, hundreds of fishing boats troll the waters surrounding Point No Point. Armed with their reels, the men and women onboard the vessels dream of catching 20-pound salmon and cooking up the cherry-red steaks for dinner.

The deep water just a few yards from shore is prime fishing grounds for salmon runs, which makes the area a huge destination for boaters. On Nov. 11, Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) showed members of the Greater Hansville Area Advisory Council two drawings for a proposed boat launch.

The boat launch would be constructed on the property with the old boat house, cabins and RV park. WDFW bought the lot in 1996.

Currently the closest boat launch is located in Eglon. There is also one in Kingston.

Penny Warren, WDFW regional lands manager, said it could take 18 months to get a permit for the boat launch. Another meeting is scheduled Dec. 13 from 2-4 p.m. at the Greater Hansville Community Center to solidify which design aspect the community is most in favor of and complete last minute tweaks before applying for the core permits; she said construction would most likely start in 2012.

With the proposed construction of Norwegian Point Park along the same Point No Point Road, the main concerns voiced were traffic and parking.

By installing a boat launch 20-feet wide that would extend about 145 feet to the minus one tide line, residents fear the area will attract too many boaters and visitors.

“This isn’t a fishing village anymore. This is a neighborhood,” said Hansville resident Nancy Garing.

The waters off of Point No Point, known as ‘Area nine,’ sees about 48,000 boaters between July and September, said Warren. Warren estimated one percent of that total, or just less than 500 people, would launch boats there.

In comparison, she estimated five percent will launch at Kingston and half a percent will continue to use the Eglon dock.

No fee will be charged to launch boats, “just the sticker on your car,” Warren said referring to the sticker that comes with purchasing a fishing license.

The presentation and schematics are posted online at www.hansville.org.

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