By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

Transient boat slips could make their way to Ocean Pines’ Clubhouse Bar and Grille, offering residents an alternative entrance, via the canal, into the community’s golf course and refreshment establishment.

A press release issued by the Ocean Pines Association on Monday, Nov. 3, stated that a possible four-slip project has been proposed and is in the early planning stages. The slips would be installed near the 10th tee of the Ocean Pines Golf Course, allowing boat access to the property’s Clubhouse Bar and Grille.

Transient boat slips are temporary docking spaces, not intended for long-term storage, unlike a traditional marina. A project like this in Ocean Pines would create an avenue for residents to drive their watercraft right up to the neighborhood restaurant to enjoy a meal and an afternoon on the golf course.

The announcement added that “a pathway will lead from the slips to the side of the driving range to the Clubhouse.” These potential transient boat slips should yield minimal, if any, interference to course play.

Community officials note that the size of the entryway to the guest dock is more than sufficient for safe maneuvering.

“Slip access will be through the Clubhouse canal from the St. Martin River,” the press release reads. “The canal width of 94.4 [feet] is wide enough to navigate in both directions.”

A resident who lives on Clubhouse Drive was notified of the slips and shared his reservations during the public comments segment of OPA’s Board of Directors meeting on Oct. 25. Brian Higgins expressed what he believed to be issues that could manifest with the implementation of the boat slips, one of which is the declining health of the waterway.

“We don’t know if there has been an environmental study,” he said. “The health of the canal’s an issue, and it’s just coming back to life. We do see fish and crabs there now.”

However, the OPA press release claims that the slips are unlikely to have any adverse environmental impacts.

“As these are transient slips and only to be used for a limited time, it is not like a marina where the boats are stored overnight,” the announcement said.

Higgins also argued that waterway traffic could become an issue with the boat slips, particularly due to a blind spot created by a nearby bridge. That problem could be exacerbated by the number of kids who use the channel to kayak and paddleboard. Still, Ocean Pines addressed the concern on Monday, writing that because the proposed slips will be flush against the community-owned bulkhead, they should not cause any navigational risks.

Furthermore, the idea behind the dock is that boat drivers will have easy access to the Clubhouse Bar and Grille, which Higgins added could cause liability issues, particularly if a motorist uses his visit to consume alcohol immediately before gearing up to steer his vessel through the waterway.

“Drinking and driving is not anything we want to promote here, especially in our canals,” the concerned resident said.

Still, the community assured that the project will be an overall “enhancement