MARINA

Rosses Point Marina

Dear Editor,

Reading the report about the marina at Rosses Point in last week's edition of The Sligo Champion had me digging in my photos of a trip last year to San Francisco. Our son Gerald wanted to visit Alcatraz and the only trip available was via Angel Island National Park.

I had never heard of this island and was delighted when we arrived there. It is a little larger than Coney Island and was used over the years as an Emigration Station, a resting place for returning servicemen and during 1941 - 1945 it was an interment camp for Japanese-Americans.

Across from the main quay there is an aluminum pontoon for small and large yachts. These are the conditions of mooring there: "Private boats can use the boat slips or mooring buoys at Ayala Cove. Slips, 30' to 50', are open year round from 8am to sunset and cost $10.

The California State Park Annual Day Use Pass, $125, can be used to pay day-use dock fees. Mooring fees are $20/night and can be used up to 7 nights in a row. Slips and buoys are on a first-come first-served basis. Dinghies can be taken to the dock from the moorings to get access to the restrooms until 10 p.m.

If there is no ranger available, please pay at the 'Iron Ranger' near the head of the boat dock. Your fees help maintain the park.

The existing moorings are scheduled to be replaced in Summer, 2006 and there will be a total of 27 of them.

"Surely a similar construction would be very suitable for Rosses Point? Why not start with a small section and as the popularity of the Marina grows further sections could be added.

I would recommend that members of Sligo Yacht Club visit http://www. angelisland.org

There is a live video cam in operation and you can view the island.

Sincerely,

Declan Foley

Samuel Close

Berwick, Australia

Sligo Champion

09/10/2006