Dear Kern River Courier,
The launch ramps and dock areas at Lake Isabella are poorly maintained and very unsafe conditions are allowed to exist while the Forest Service is conspicuously absent and seemingly just doesn't care.

When the lake level changes the docks have to be adjusted. The Forest Service is supposed to accomplish this task. However, one or two people from the local bass fishing community have been doing this for at least the past two years. In fact last year the fishermen even purchased and installed extra cable so the docks could be used at low lake levels. When the Forest Service was asked to accomplish this task their response is the same tired old phrase, "We don't have the manpower or the funding."

On holidays and the weekends the docks are very congested with boats trying to launch and pull out. People are allowing their kids to swim while boats are coming and going.  Also many people tie their boats up to the docks and leave them and also they will pull their vehicles and trailers right down to the water, blocking access while they are loading up their boat. This should be accomplished before they even get to the launch ramp. I have also seen many occasions when people are sitting in lawn chairs and loitering around blocking the dock area.

The launch ramps at the lake are very inadequate. The Forest Service needs to have personnel policing these areas and making sure they are managed properly. On the weekend and holiday there should be employees stationed at these areas from at least 9:00 am till 5:00 pm. Also a sign needs to be installed stating: These docks are for launching and pulling out of boats only. No loitering. No fishing. No swimming. Please have your boat ready to launch before approaching the launch ramp.

Many of the fishermen have launched early in the morning and had a pleasant day of fishing only to have it ruined by coming back in and having to wait anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour just to get access to a dock to pullout their boat.

Perhaps when a child gets beheaded or badly chopped up by a boat propeller or there is a huge fight at a launch ramp it will get the attention of the Forest Service. In the meantime the only place you are likely to find a Forest Service employee is sitting in an air-conditioned office.

I've never seen one at the lake. Have you?

Duane Robinson
Fountain Valley


Editor’s note: This letter was accompanied by several news  reports of a murder at a boat dock at Buckley Cove Marina in Stockton.