Chilmark selectmen continued to wrestle this week with the question of whether to allow swimming and wading in the shallow area of Menemsha Channel known as Crab Corner.
At their meeting Tuesday, selectmen decided to keep the area closed for the immediate future — over the objection of some.
In June a problem with stray voltage in the water forced the closure of the area. There were five reported incidents of bathers feeling a tingle in the water. It took weeks to get to the root of the problem, but on July 13 electricians working for the town discovered an improperly grounded subpanel. The problem was corrected, but selectmen decided to keep the area closed as a precaution.
The continued closure has been unpopular in some quarters. This week an online petition was posted in protest.
At a packed meeting Tuesday, a handful of residents spoke out against the closure.
“I heard it was going to be closed permanently and that would be a shame,” said Catherine Deese.
In a July 14 letter to the selectmen, harbor master Dennis Jason Jr. recommended that the area be closed indefinitely.
The letter was not discussed by the selectmen Tuesday.
But selectman James Malkin said there were two hazards to consider— stray voltage and boat propellers.
“I really don’t know what to do about the electricity, and I have had a number of people very aggressively discuss the fact that by keeping it closed we are ruining Menemsha and we’re changing the character of the town, and I said well what would you do about the character of the town if your grandchild or child was electrocuted . . . or suffered some harm?” Mr. Malkin said.
The issue of propellers is an old concern. In 2013 the selectmen considered closing Crab Corner because of the proximity of swimmers to boats in the area.
At the time, they opted to keep the area open to swimming after adding extra security measures: another lifeguard, netting to prevent children from going underneath the dock and signs prohibiting swimming off or under the dock.
Caleb Slater said a state regulation prohibits boating within 150 feet of swimmers.
Selectman and board chairman Bill Rossi said: “I don’t think that’s something that I want to lean on too heavily. That’s been brought up a few years ago by our harbor master and we decided to look the other way . . . we decided to take on that risk with some adjustments to that area in terms of safety.”
Mr. Malkin said: “What I’d recommend is that in terms of the propellers that we go to the harbor advisory committee and ask them for a recommendation, and maybe they have a hearing, and maybe they want to bring it to the annual town meeting, where the town can decide in terms of propellers: do we want to take this risk?”
He continued: “In terms of the electricity, my own belief is that until someone can tell me that we’re safe, and the children are safe, I have an issue with Crab Corner being open.”
In the end the selectmen decided to keep the area closed for the next two weeks while they continue to test the water daily for voltage. Mr. Malkin said the data would offer an incomplete picture. “These incidents were separate and distinct, and weren’t continual,” he said.
Selectman Warren Doty responded: “At least we could be better informed.”
Mr. Rossi said the selectmen have received a large volume of correspondence about the issue. “But this is another level of risk… I think we have to take it very seriously and not just think about the emotion of the children swimming. My kids were upset with me when we talking about it in 2013. They’re like, come on dad, we want the Crab Corner, you can’t take that away. I get it. I think we all get it.”
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