WATER LEADERS
6/3/2008 12:34:06 PM by Sandy Lindsey
South Florida is an oasis of water pleasures because of the bounty Mother Nature has given the area via its near-perfect geographic location and some very important local people who work, often without accolades, to protect and enhance access to our favorite water sports. Without further ado, it’s our pleasure to introduce you to some of South Florida’s most prominent water leaders.
THE BLUEWAYS
Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez and the Parks & Recreation Department are preserving and improving our environment with their creative and highly touted New Park and Open Space System Master Plan. The idea is to take county parks and turn them into a series of connecting communities through waterways, “blueways” and “greenways.” “We should cherish our landscapes, our watersheds and our quiet spaces,” says Alvarez.
The mayor is also testing a pilot program to bring wireless service to parks. The Miami-Dade Wireless Pilot Project, which launched this spring at Tropical Park, could eventually spread to waterfront parks as well, a boon for boaters with laptops aboard. “I’m thrilled at the possibilities that this public-private partnership is going to bring to the people of Miami-Dade County,” says Alvarez.
Additional park improvements of interest to boaters include the Haulover Marina expansion which will take it from 39 slips to 140 slips and includes a new dockmaster’s complex set for a summer 2009 completion. The improved facility will include protected boat storage for 500 boats, a bait-and-tackle shop and a snack bar. Additionally, proposals are being requested for the Matheson Hammock Marina upgrade to allow it to house over 200 boats. Crandon Marina is also being upgraded. And that’s something we can all look forward to.
BOATING ENTHUSIAST
“At this time, we are probably the most stable boating facilitator in the area,” says Jack Kardys, director of the Miami-Dade Parks & Recreation Department. “By this I mean that county marinas occupy some of the most prime property in Miami-Dade. Unlike the marina trend to sell-off waterfront property for development, there’s no chance that our marina properties will ever be anything other than marinas.” Kardys adds that there’s also an aggressive capital improvement program underway that will add improvements to almost all the county’s marinas. “Our public boat ramps are extremely popular,” he says. “At times, congestion can be an issue as more and more people take advantage of water activities.”
Kardys says one thing they’ve done to alleviate this problem is develop a system using staff and security to better organize and direct the flow of traffic in and out of boat ramp areas. “Because of the lack of slips in Miami-Dade County, our future plan is seeking expansion opportunities and facility upgrades to accommodate the boating public,” he says. What’s more, for those who enjoy boating and the water but don’t have access to their own boat, the Parks Department provides other opportunities which include sailboat and powerboat rentals, charter boats, drift fishing, Eco-Adventure tours and island shelter rentals with boat transportation as well as sunset cruises. Most importantly, however, Kardys says he truly understands the importance of the water to South Florida. “I’m an avid watersports enthusiast and enjoy the ocean via off-shore fishing, diving and skiing whenever I get the chance,” he says. “The kids love boating, especially tubing.”
A Miami native, Kardys says he has been involved in activities around the water most of his life. “There are many fond memories of festivals, fishing tournaments and boat parades,” he says. “I do a great deal of boat travel to Elliot Key by flotilla several times a year for a huge raft up of 10 or more boats of all sizes and shapes. I’m usually the one with the kids all piled in his boat pulling the tube!”
MARINE QUEEN
Miami-Dade County Commissioner Sally Heyman is a staunch supporter of Baynanza, highlighted by the Baynanza Biscayne Bay Cleanup organized by the Department of Environmental Resource Management (DERM), with entertainment and environmental activities following the cleanup. She is also a proponent of the popular Dragon Boat Festival. “It’s great to see the Dragon Boat Festival growing bigger year after year and attracting teams from out of state to compete at Haulover Park,” she says, mentioning another notable boating event at the venue. “The Marine SuperShow at Haulover Park & Marina is a unique water event at an incredible regional waterfront park. The wonderful environment and climate add to the attraction of water events like the Marine SuperShow. We look for this to be an annual event, growing in patronage and enjoyment.” Heyman also says she has — and intends to continue — supporting funding for boating activities at our beaches and parks. “This includes the expansion of marinas, new docks and new boating equipment at several parks,” she says.
When she’s not on duty with her role as commissioner, Heyman loves to travel, although when she’s at home, she likes spending time in and around the water. “My favorite pastimes are swimming and boating,” she says.
The latter has led her to some genuine water adventures. “I was once grounded in a sailboat all day,” she recalls. “I was also once tapped by a black tip shark while diving.” But the most memorable water-related moment she’s ever experienced was a bit different from the aforementioned near-disasters. “On a more cheerful note, I love having become an honorary member of the Miami Springs Powerboat Club at Stiltsville,” she says. “I enjoy participating in their activities!” It seems nothing can stop this woman from enjoying the tides and all the watery moments she has ahead.
BRINGING BOATING BACK
As the executive director of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF), Frank Herhold plays an important part in making sure that there’s water access for boaters and the necessary services as waterfront land is snapped up for luxury condominiums. He also has his finger on the pulse of legislation that will affect South Florida boating. But perhaps he and the MIASF’s largest impact on the area is largely unrecognized: the mammoth Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.
“Our mission is to promote, protect and enhance boating as the lifestyle of South Florida and we’re strong advocates of family recreational boating,” says Herhold. “Rarely do you see people going out boating by themselves. Golfers may go golfing alone, without their wives and kids, but boaters take everyone along. We like to see young people get their feet wet.”
Herhold himself is an avid boater. He currently owns an Edgewater 225 center console boat that he takes out as often as possible. “There’s plenty to do on the water around here,” he says. “For example, Fort Lauderdale has about 70 restaurants that can be accessed by water. I enjoy cruising and fishing. ”
He adds that one particular waterside relaxation favorite is John Lloyd Park in Dania. “We pull up in Whiskey Creek and combine beach time with boat time by climbing over the sand dunes to the ocean,” he says. He also manages the annual MIASF Waterway Cleanup, which attracts countless volunteers on boats and on land and picked up a record 58 tons of trash two years ago. The event also raises public awareness of keeping waterways clean year-round.
But the waters haven’t always been so calm for Herhold. When he was 18, he borrowed a boat from a friend and set sail on Lake Winnebago at night, just as a big storm started to make its way ashore. “We had no paddles or flares aboard so we decided to pour gasoline on some of the PFDs aboard so they would act as makeshift emergency signals,” he says. You can imagine how that story ended.
Luckily, Herhold survived that incident and is today a different man, seving as one of the most recognized stewards of the marine ecosystem through his role with MIASF.
CONSERVATIONALIST COMMISSIONER
“Working at the Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is a combination of science and research with common sense and hands-on knowledge mixed in,” says Rodney Barreto, commissioner. “I use my lifelong experience to make decisions. I often find myself reaching back and saying to myself this doesn’t make sense or this does make sense.”
This steward of the waterways is well qualified for the job. His father was born and raised a Key West Conch. He himself grew up on the waters of South Florida in a large family with 11 children that always had boats. “My six brothers and I used to spend nights on the no-name islands in the Keys,” Barreto reminisces. This lifelong love of the water is put to good use as he is asked to oversee the 2008 FWC initiatives on subjects ranging from the mandatory wearing of personal floatation devices to mandatory boater safety education and environmental topics such as devastating seagrass scarring and regulating commercial and recreational catch limits of endangered and overfished species.
Barreto practices what he preaches and gets out on the water with his family as often as possible on his two boats, a 36-foot Contender and a 21-foot Redfisher. “We love to fish offshore, especially for dolphin, and in the back country,” he says. “We only catch the fish that we’re going to eat, not 900 fish just for fun. I believe that all sportsmen and women are conservationists at heart.”