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2001 was a banner year for Halifax Harbor Marina. The previous autumn, Harbormaster George Wakefield proudly raised the first Clean Marina flag on Florida’s East Coast. Soon after, the Marine Industries Association of Florida honored Halifax with its 2001 Green Marina Award. Then Volusia County proclaimed February 22 “Halifax Harbor Clean Marina Day.” In November, this magazine was pleased to name Halifax Harbor “Marina of the Year 2001.” Environmental leadership was certainly one of the qualities that impressed our judges. Equally impressive were Halifax’s facilities and amenities, customer satisfaction, and management’s contributions to the industry and surrounding community. It can be argued that Halifax is successful on so many fronts due to the business relationships it has forged with the city, government agencies, and the state marine trade association. This cooperation and mutual respect facilitate the inevitable changes and improvements that are so important to a marina’s bottom line. History The city operated the marina until 1989, when management firms took over. In 1998, Skipper Marine Development was awarded the contract to oversee operations. According to Wakefield, the partnership is “the right marriage. A flat annual fee is paid to SkipperBud’s, with revenue, minus expenses, going to the city. The city is able to cut down on its payroll and other expenses, while benefiting from the expertise of a professional management company. It’s a win-win situation.” In fact, a recent article in the Daytona Beach News-Journal says the marina “ranks as one of the city’s most successful enterprises, with revenues exceeding expenses by about $1.4 million.”
The facility Shipshape bottom line Advertising and marketing Skipper Marine invests in advertising in the U. S. Charts Series, MapTech Embassy Guides, Waterway Guide, and Facilities Waterway Guide, Florida Cruising Directory, the local newspaper and the Power Squadron publication Beachcomber. The marina also appears on web sites operated by the city of Daytona Beach and SkipperBud’s. Customer satisfaction “Our employees are encouraged to converse freely with customers and assist them in any way possible. We take a great deal of pride in our facility and the staff responds quickly when addressing any customer concern or need. “Restroom cleanliness is a must,” he continues, “and is a good measure of customer satisfaction. We often hear positive feedback on how well the restrooms are maintained by our custodial staff. “I believe that the high level of service we provide to boaters is by far the best around. Our easy check-in and check-out for guest travelers and free holding tank pumpout service at the slips help set us apart from other facilities,” says Phillips. Environmental responsibility Wakefield’s environmental commitment is further demonstrated by the fact that he hosted the first organizational workshop for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (FDEP) Clean Marina Program, and served on its board. After hoisting Halifax’s Clean Marina flag, Wakefield was recognized by the Daytona Beach City Commission for his efforts and leadership. Public/private relationships So how are these relationships Another example of Halifax working hand-in-hand with government was when Wakefield took it upon himself to gather forces to restore 400 feet of hurricane-ravaged park shoreline. In a congratulatory letter, Jeanne Dernehl, director of marina operations for Skipper Marine Development, says that his “persistence and drive...once again confirm your commitment to Halifax Harbor Marina and the City of Daytona Beach...You played a key role in pursuing the help of various state, county, and local agencies. It’s your great reputation and respect for the community, coupled with your well-known marine environmental concerns that always attract willing volunteers to the cause.” Boater participation No-spill containers are available for placement over vessel fuel vent fittings to catch overflow. A dock box on the fuel dock is filled with absorbent pads and booms. “Spill prevention is the best cure,” says Phillips, “but having a rapid response along with containment and clean up procedures in place can minimize or eliminate any damage to our delicate ecosystem.” There are also signs throughout the marina telling boaters not to introduce soap into the water. Dumpster sites around the marina To help reduce the use of fresh water, Daytona Beach operates a water recycling plant. This water is used to irrigate the marina gardens. “This helps to preserve the dwindling supply of potable water during periods of harsh drought in the Florida,” says Phillips. Every April Halifax Harbor plays host to the Halifax/Indian River Clean Up, which draws more than 2,000 volunteers. “During the 2000 Clean Up these good people removed 117,000 pounds of trash and hazardous materials from our uplands and waterways,” says Phillips. All of Halifax’s environmental efforts take time, effort, and money. Is it worth the expense? Absolutely, according to Phillips. “By having the best management practices in place I believe the bottom line reflects a non-tangible plus. If good environmental practices are being adhered to, then the chance of receiving a citation or large fine for polluting is reduced. This obviously would help the bottom line. I believe it is enormously profitable.” Industry involvement Community involvement Wakefield recently assisted a neighboring marina, Adventure Yacht Harbor, obtain a pumpout boat using grant money. He also helped the Daytona Marina and Boat Works to obtain the use of city-owned property as a dredge spoil site. Both Wakefield and Phillips helped the new owner of Daytona’s English Jim’s Marina find a marine design and development firm to guide them in their expansion project. Halifax also helps promote local businesses. “We made a map with the location and phone number of restaurants within walking distance,” says Phillips. “Our guests certainly appreciate the opportunity to find the restaurant of their choice and we gladly call to make reservations for them. “We also work with the local United Way by offering the marina as a place for citizens to perform court ordered community service. This has been an excellent program that has benefited both the community service volunteer and the marina.” Special challenges “Another challenge is to keep our fuel prices under $2.00 per gallon. Last year we hit $1.99 and fortunately did not have to break the two-dollar level. This year may be another story.” For Halifax Harbor, the biggest challenge is yet to come. Daytona Beach began to consider expanding Halifax Harbor when the need to dredge the North Basin became apparent. When it was estimated that the dredging could cost $1 million, city officials decided to pursue a more ambitious project that would double the North Basin capacity to 250 slips by changing the fixed structure to floating docks and enlarging them to accommodate larger vessels. The city also hopes to expand the North Basin by swapping city property for the current Halifax River Yacht Club. All of these plans are contingent on manatee regulations. “When a Volusia County Manatee Protection Plan is approved by the state of Florida we may be able to expand to the 270 proposed concrete floating docks,” says Phillips. “It all depends on how the plan reads. Will the state and county allow additional slips to be placed into a designated ‘red’ zone? If they do, the city may have to pay an extra $1,000 per slip that will go toward additional law enforcement and boater education. If the city wants to provide their own ‘red’ zone patrols, then the $1,000 would be waived.” Applied Technology & Management, Inc. has been hired to study the basin and surrounding area for the overall best solution for boaters, city residents, and visitors. “In the next five to eight years things should look very different in the marina’s original basin,” says Phillips. Yes! |
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Halifax
Harbor
