By Greg Ellison

(May 13, 2021) After opening boat slips earlier this month, Ocean Pines Marina Manager Ron Fisher is prepared for another busy season on the waterways.

“We were exceptionally busy last year during the season,” he said.

Fisher said marina slip rentals, which normally are available from May 1 through the end of October, are nonexistent for this season.

“The marina is actually filled for the year,” he said. “We have 86 boats and we have a waiting list of about 70. That’s fairly typical.”

Fisher, who also serves as dock master, oversees boat slip locations at the Ocean Pines Yacht Club and the Swim and Racquet Club on the St. Martin River.

“The Swim and Racquet Club marina is also filled,” he said.

Of the 19 slips located outside Swim and Racquet, Fisher said all but four are rented, with the remaining allotment deemed too shallow for use.

Despite the onset of covid-19 last year, Fisher said marina operations closed the season with strong financials.

Fisher said recreational boating spiked in 2020, as many seafarers were left with additional time because of pandemic-related work closures.

“People have enjoyed recreational boating during this whole covid emergency,” he said. “It’s given them something to do outside.”

Pandemic-related precautions will continue to be followed this year, Fisher said.

“We do provide masks and hand sanitizer for our staff,” he said. “They wear them if necessary … it depends on the circumstances.”

Other safety measures include training marina staff to perform CPR and to operate automated external defibrillators.

Attributing last year’s high volume to economic factors and lower gas prices, Fisher said the outlook for fuel sales this season remains hazy.

“It’s difficult to say with the pipeline down right now,” he said. “We’re hoping we can get fuel.”

Fisher said at this point fuel prices and sales totals for 2021 are tough to predict.

“We just don’t know,” he said.

Fisher said the primary ingredient for another season of strong marina usage is Mother Nature.

“We have no control over the weather,” he said. “We have a great staff and good customer service, but we need good weather.”