Source reader Julie King wants to know when the dinghy dock at the Cruz Bay ferry dock will be fixed. The dock is missing planks and, in one spot, has a big gap between planks that appears too large to easily step over.

She noted that the St. John Spice webcam has the dock in its view, and St. John lovers who frequent travel forums would also like answers. She said Tuesday that travel forum participants have talked about placing bets on when the dock will be fixed.

“There was a question on Trip Advisor that asked if betting is illegal,” King said.

The dilapidated dock sits front and center in the webcam’s view, and is the backdrop for tourists who write messages in the sand for webcam viewers to see. As of Tuesday afternoon, 3.96 million people looked at the webcam since Jan. 11, 2009.

V.I. Port Authority spokesman Monifa Marrero said that work on the dinghy dock, which suffered mightily during the fall’s hurricanes and storms, should be done by the end of January.

She said it went out for bid in December 2010. She had no further information.