Save Our Bay Flotilla

An on-the-water rally to celebrate World Oceans Day and shine a light on the environmental impacts to Cape Cod Bay caused by Entergyʼs Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station.

Video: PCN Cape Cod Bay Watch On The Water Rally →

The weather was perfect for ocean enthusiasts who came out yesterday to celebrate world oceans day and to help bring attention to the environmental impacts of the Pilgrim Nuclear Station on beautiful Cape Cod Bay.

Boats gathered outside the security buoys near Pilgrim. Pine duBois (Jones River Watershed), Diane Turco and Arlene Williamson (both of Cape Downwinders), and many others gave poignant speeches primarily about the importance of protecting Cape Cod Bay and marine life from pollution and the daily operations of Pilgrim. At times, the dialogue was directed at the plant itself, telling it “Enough is Enough!”

At the center of the stage was a 63’ yacht called the Bay Spirit, decorated with banners and holding approximately 50 supporters on board. Smaller boats with flags, banners and bullhorns were also part of the action.

A festive bunch of supporters rallied aboard the the Bay Spirit

At the same time in Plymouth harbor, a group of paddlers in kayaks and smaller boats gathered near the Plymouth rock donning yellow nuke flags and talking to tourists along the shoreline.

Paddlers rallied near the Plymouth rock

After the rally, people gathered at Steven’s Field for the Save the Bay picnic for food, music, educational booths and a raffle.

Group photo op at the Save Our Bay picnic

By the end of the day, light was shined, our oceans were celebrated and people were engaged and educated. All in all, the Flotilla event was a success.

Flotilla event archive

Date: June 9, 2013
Time: Noon
Location: Cape Cod Bay

The Save Our Bay Flotilla is an on-the-water rally to celebrate World Oceans Day and shine light on the environmental impacts caused by Entergy’s Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station on Cape Cod Bay. Help us raise awareness of the issues and the need for Entergy to clean up its act!

The rally will take place on Cape Cod Bay from noon to 1:00 pm on June 9, outside the security buoys near the Pilgrim facility in Plymouth, MA. Participants can bring their own signs or just join the celebration at the rally site with speakers, giant banners and music.

Don’t have a boat or a sea-worthy kayak? Support the Flotilla with other paddlers (kayaks, canoes, stand-up boards, etc.) off of Steven’s Field, also in Plymouth from noon – 1:00 pm. After the rally, there will be a picnic at Steven’s Field from 2:00-4:00 pm.

The entire event is free and open to the public. We have to charter a 63’ yacht for those that want to participate in the Flotilla but do not have access to a boat, and are now offering a limited number of tickets ($37/person) to board, details below.

Purpose of the event: Flotilla participants will join people from around the globe in celebrating and honoring our oceans, as the 11^th annual World Oceans Day falls on the same weekend as the Flotilla event. Another goal of the Flotilla is to increase awareness of the impacts that Pilgrim’s daily operations have had on the health of Cape Cod Bay for the past 40 years. The facility discharges huge volumes of heated and polluted water into bay on a daily basis, pollutes groundwater, kills millions of fish each year and is potentially impacting endangered species. Despite these problems – and many others – Entergy’s license to operate Pilgrim was renewed last year for an additional 20 years.

Here is our flyer for the event: Save Our Bay Flotilla flyer (color PDF), or in grayscale.

June 9 Schedule

12:00-1:00 pm: Rally on the water
2:00-4:00 pm: Picnic at Steven’s Field

RSVP: Please RSVP by May 31, 2013 to info@capecodbaywatch.org or call 508-746-9400. Please let us know whether you will be attending the rally and/or the picnic, and how many boats/people you will be bringing.

Rally Locations

Rally Site for BOATS: The rally will take place outside the security buoys near Pilgrim Station at noon. Participants can bring their own signs or just join the celebration with speakers, giant banners and music. It’s very important that individuals do not go within the 500 yard exclusion zone, which is clearly marked with white buoys. The exclusion zone is established by the Coast Guard. There will be officials on the water to ensure no one drifts inside the zone. We ask all participants to respect the Coast Guard’s rules as well as what we are trying to accomplish with the flotilla – to safely and legally celebrate our oceans and shine light on the environmental problems caused by Pilgrim. Please stay far from the buoys to avoid drifting inside the exclusion zone. See map of the buoys here →

KAYAKS and CANOES: For people with kayaks and canoes, you can support the Flotilla from a distance – paddle off of Steven’s Field in Plymouth from 12:00-1:00 pm. This location is in Plymouth Harbor, meaning it’s far safer for smaller vessels compared to the open-ocean rally site for larger boats. Participants can bring their own signs or just join the celebration with other paddlers and home-made “kite-signs.” Directions to Steven’s Field →

Note: Paddlers set on going out to the main Pilgrim rally site should only attempt this if you are a highly experienced paddler, have a sea-worthy kayak, have all the necessary safety gear, and use our Paddler Float Plan below. Contact us for details on launch location options closer to the Pilgrim rally site.

PICNIC at Steven’s Field: After the rally, join us for a Pot Luck picnic at Steven’s Field in Plymouth from 2:00-4:00 pm. For those of you that are bringing dishes to the picnic; in order to truly honor our oceans on the 9th, challenge yourself to transport and serve your pot luck dish without using plastic dishes, bags, utensils, etc. Please also remember to bring your reusable travel mug if you have one, to help with our efforts to keep the event as environmentally friendly as possible.

Note: This will be a BALLOON-FREE event at all locations. Balloon debris is very damaging to marine life! Please do not bring balloons to the event.

Launch Sites

Launch from wherever you’d like, but we will have two sites suggested for motor boats and paddlers:

The Plymouth State Boat Ramp (behind East Bay Restaurant on Water Street) is a great place for motorized boats to launch. There is a $5 fee to use the ramp (tip: bring exact change). Cape Cod Bay Watch volunteers will be on site to provide details about the rally and safety information from 11:00 am-12:00 pm. Directions to the Plymouth State Boat Ramp →

Kayaks and canoes can launch right from Steven’s Field. There is ample free parking and a great spot to launch. Cape Cod Bay Watch volunteers will be there to distribute safety and event information from 11:00 am-12:00 pm.

Paddler Float Plan

A float plan is an essential part of any paddling trip, even if you’re not planning to go far from Steven’s Field. Please use one on the 9^th. Print the float plan below and fill it out with as much detail as possible. Give a copy to a trustworthy individual. Let them know the details of your trip and how to secure help if you’re not back by a specified time. Place a second copy of your plan on the dashboard of the vehicle you leave at the launch site.

Float Plan and Safety Info →

Yacht Charter

All aboard! Thanks to the generosity of Cape Downwinders and Pilgrim Coalition, we have chartered a 63’ yacht called the Bay Spirit for those that want to participate in the Flotilla but do not have access to a boat. The Bay Spirit, which holds a maximum of 49 passengers, will be departing from Brewer Plymouth Marine located at 14 Union Street, Plymouth, MA 02360.

The trip will be four hours long. Departure time is 10:30 am so be there no later than 10:00 am to board. The boat will bring passengers to the rally site from 12:00 – 1:00 pm with some extra time for cruising around Cape Cod Bay before and after the rally. Passengers will be dropped back off at Brewer Marine at 2:30 pm.

There is a cash bar on board, but passengers are allowed to bring their own food (and rally signs!). Tickets are $37 each. Space is limited so buy your tickets today!

Questions?

What if I don’t have access to a boat, but want to be on the water?

We have chartered a 63′ yacht for the event, tickets are on sale now.
We have some generous individuals who’ve offered to take some “new friends” out to the rally site, inquire for details: info@capecodbaywatch.org

What are some other ways to participate?

Help us spread the word about the event. Invite friends and family or help us distribute flyers. Download our Save Our Bay Flotilla flyer (color PDF), or in grayscale. For tips about distributing flyers, click here.
We are looking for volunteers to help out at the Picnic and to distribute information at the launch sites to participants.
Are you a local business owner and want to help? Consider co-sponsoring the event, help us promote it, or check out our wish list here.

What if there is inclement weather?

We will only reschedule in the event of strong winds, heavy rain or a storm. If inclement weather is expected, we will post rescheduling information on this web page as soon as possible (check the night before). The storm date/time is Sunday, June 16th at 4:30 pm.

DISCLAIMER: Information on this web page has been provided as general information for increasing safety awareness. Participants assume all risk incident to the event, whether occurring prior to, during or subsequent to the actual event, and agrees that all participants, sanctioning bodies, and affiliates are released from any and all claims arising from the event.