Summer 2023 Parking Fees at Granite Pier Rockport ?

[Sue H.]

Hi Folks,

I have called and emailed the Granite Pier Committee to confirm the launching/parking fee for a hand carry boat...I have not heard back.

Does anyone know the fee?  Surprisingly the Harbor Master's Office doesn't know or the Police Dept.

Thanks, Sue

[Joseph Berkovitz]

The parking fee was $12 as per my experience earlier this year.

 

 

[Sue H.]

Thanks.  Can you access the kayak ramp from the above parking lot or do you have to go past the larger boat ramp & past the Porta potty area. ?

[Joseph Berkovitz]

load/unload right near the ramp, the lot is a difficult carry from the ramp.

This needs to be carefully managed so paddlers do not linger in the ramp area, or park in the area used for trailers to position their vehicles. Just get the boats off and on quickly with no packing or unpacking while parked at the ramp.

[prudenceb]

On a really nice summer wknd, may not be the best spot for a large group for reasons Joe gives above.  There isn't a large area for unloading and then boats have to be stashed where they won't be in way of folks backing big power boats into the water.

[Sue H.]

Do you are talking about the boat ramp used by power boats… so they never repaired the kayak ramp that was damaged by a storm a few years ago ?

[prudenceb]

i've only ever used the power boat ramp there.

[Sue H.]

I’m aware of the interference issue at the power boat ramp… i’m trying to figure a work around.  I doubt I will have time this week to go there to take a first hand look, but I will try.

I’m wondering if everyone drove up into the parking lot, turned around & temp parked on the downward slope of the road just behind the Parking Hut, if we could just have 2-3 cars released at a time to drop boats.  Given the elevation of granite pier to look out for skills session 1 and then paddling area, seems (water wise & viewing) a good spot.

[Sue H.]

We will have 3 facilitators & 3 assistant facilitators, so I will be limiting this session to 12 participants, possibly 15 and have as many as possible car pool.

[Joseph Berkovitz]

It's not a big deal, it just requires the organizer to get there first and be a traffic cop. Send people up to the lot to wait if the loading area is busy, otherwise let them use it.  People who just unloaded can tell others to come down when they go up to park. Usually arrivals are spaced out and it's not a problem, you don't need to send everyone up (and I think the access road to the lot isn't wide enough let people wait there).

Even sizable groups can work well  because of the plentiful parking, as long as kayaks are staged and loaded on the areas above and to either side of the ramp (not ON the ramp), and launched in smaller groups to avoid tying up the ramp. There is some extra time of course to do all this management but when you compare to other spots, not so bad.

However in some conditions (e.g. easterly wind) there is no protected water in the whole area so I think a plan B location is a good idea.

[billvoss]

On May 21st, 2023, I paddled out of Granite Pier with two Rockport Residents.  I got there first, and unloaded near the power boat ramp.  When the residents arrived, they informed me that they had been recently scolded for not using the small ramp near the stairs to the upper parking area.  It was deserted when we launched, so we didn't get scolded.  However, we made a point to land at the small ramp when we returned.

Carrying a kayak up and down those stairs would be very challenging.  Having someone directing traffic, and only letting about three cars down past the porta-potty might work.

I don't remember what they were charging for non-resident parking.