Waldo Lake Still Accessible

A sailboater defends the recent protections approved for Waldo Lake.

The persistent debate over gasoline motors on Waldo Lake seems to hinge on two opposing assumptions about outdoor recreation. One is that the natural world is something that we should preserve and adapt to; the other is that the outdoors is something we should be able to use as we wish. As a regular user of Waldo Lake, I understand the concern about maneuvering larger sailboats. It is hard to control a large boat in a strong wind when trying to dock. Even on my relatively small sailboat (17 feet, 600 lbs), I rarely come back from Waldo without a few rock dings. And if the wind dies, we drift or row.

However, I do not believe that this justifies allowing gas motors. On a windless day, an electric motor (permitted under the new rules) can indeed maneuver the small cruising yachts that are typical at Waldo. And if it is too windy to launch—well, it’s too windy to launch.

The significance of a primitive lake like Waldo is that it requires us to draw on skill and judgment rather than technology. A motor ban only restricts access to the extent that people have to limit their activities to adapt to the natural world. Everyone has to adapt at some point. If you own a large, deep-draft yacht, launching at Waldo would be risky, motor or no. If you have a boat that is too small to handle the lake when it is covered with whitecaps, you should wait for better weather, as mariners have done for millennia.

I don’t doubt that the Marine Board is subject to all sorts of pressures, most recently from the Governor who appointed its members. What else is new? The important thing is that the decision to ban gasoline motors from Waldo Lake helps preserve a truly unique place and enhances the value of the lake for most users.

Talbot Bielefeldt
Eugene