SHREWSBURY – At the Lake Quinsigamond Commission’s July 26 meeting, members of the community voiced their frustration about the behavior on the lake.
The residents said that jet skis traveling on the lake have been especially dangerous, loud and inconsiderate as of late.
“The jet ski noises with the way they ride around in circles. They just ride around like crazy people. Just constantly going in circles, spinning, and diving,” Steven Rousseau, whose property abuts the lake, said at the meeting. “The other day, I was out there and I had three jet skis following me… all they did was zigzag.”
Lisa Diprofio, who lives alongside the lake in Worcester, agreed with Rousseau. She noted that she has recently seen an increased amount of high-powered watercraft.
“I’ve lived [at Flint Pond] 29 years, and I’ve seen a dramatic difference in the last four years in the number of jet skis,” Diprofio said. “It’s something that’s of concern to me. I do recognize they have a right to be there – it’s not my pond, it’s a public pond – but I also feel like quality of life has been affected… It’s a pond, not a waterpark.”
According to community members, jet skiers have harassed wildlife, paid little attention to the safety of others and been loud, annoying and disrespectful. Recently, people reported that several jet skiers blatantly disregarded the no wake order that the commission had implemented to help protect the shoreline amidst high water levels.
Commission members noted that of the problem watercraft users, “99%” are from out of town and use the public boat ramp to access the lake. Police noted that every watercraft they spoke to about disregarding the “no wake order” was not from the area.
However, the police can’t be everywhere at once. Several residents noted that enforcing the lake’s rules can become an elaborate game of “cat and mouse.”
“There are a lot of repeat offenders… I’ve seen people being pulled over, and half an hour later they’re doing wheelies, jumping, circling with extremely loud music out on the lake… There has to be a higher level of repercussion,” resident Barbara Finer said at the meeting.
“For those who don’t want to be good citizens, it’s not that much of a deterrent,” she continued.
Although jet skis are causing the most problems, Finer also reported drag racing on the streets bordering the lake, loud parties and people blasting music.
The meeting didn’t take any concrete steps to solve the issue, although several ideas were recommended. Finer suggested that – similar to how cars are caught speeding on highways – a drone could be used to capture unruly boats.
One commission member suggested that jet skiers be required to take a one-day safety course to ride on the lake, potentially encouraging out-of-town boaters to use another lake they could access more easily.
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