Jericho Sailing Centre "in the wind" October 4, 2007

Ahoy JSCA Members:
Here is what's "in the wind", coming events and items of interest at the Jericho Sailing Centre, your ocean access community centre, for October 4-October 10, 2007 and beyond:

The JSCA Board Needs Crew - Last Call for Nominations This Tuesday
The Jericho Sailing Centre is operated by the Jericho Sailing Centre Association in cooperation with the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation. The JSCA is governed by a 15 member board of elected volunteer members which overseas the operation of the Centre and navigates the future direction of our non-profit organization. Are you interested in serving our unique ocean access community by participating on the board? Last call for nominations is this Tuesday.
Voting will take place at the JSCA Annual General Meeting on October 23 to elect eight members for a two-year term to our Board. The Board meets once a month to set policy and determine Jericho's direction. Interested members who have time and expertise to offer are invited to submit a letter indicating their experience and areas of interest to the J.S.C.A. Nominations Committee c/o the Jericho office no later than 1700H, Tuesday, October 9. The signed nomination letter must include your name, address and telephone number. For additional information contact Mike Cotter, J.S.C.A. General Manager 224-4177 or email Mike.

JSCA Notice of AGM Tuesday October 23 at 1900H
The Jericho Sailing Centre Association's 34th Annual General Meeting will be held Tuesday, October 23, 2007 at 1900H in the English Bay Banquet Room of the Jericho Sailing Centre, 1300 Discovery Street, Vancouver, B.C. The 2006/2007 J.S.C.A. Board and Committees will report on their accomplishments this past year and the challenges for the future. Please plan to attend and participate in the future direction of your ocean access community centre.

Who Speaks For Ocean Access in Vancouver?
You do, but time is running out! The Vancouver Park Board is developing a "Vancouver Sport Strategy" to 2015 for the City and is requesting input from citizens and sports organizations to further develop their draft strategy report which is due to go before the Park Board and City Council in November. I participated with a focus group on behalf of the JSCA earlier this month and although the draft report identifies a growing trend to participation in "..ecologically-sensitive outdoor activities.." they could end up missing the boat as they receive overwhelming feedback from traditional landlubber sports organizations and individuals who have strongly, organized, squeaky wheel, lobby groups while the recreational seafaring community remains largely mute. Let's not get left "blowing in the wind", make your sea siren voice heard by participating in the online survey on line for individuals.

In general, the emphasis of the discussion leaders in the focus group tended toward the "Excellence" level of competition and sport as well as providing improved access for disabled athletes. Points I was able to make on behalf of the JSCA include: Vancouver provides unique opportunities for "ecologically-sensitive outdoor activities", ie. the sea, which could be better utilized through prominent inclusion in an overall Sports Strategy; The Jericho Sailing Centre facilitates a wide variety of these opportunities including: dinghy sailing, windsurfing, ocean kayaking, rowing, outrigger canoeing, skimboarding, stand-up paddling, canoeing, surf skiing and even open ocean swim events; The Jericho Sailing Centre has facilitated a disabled sailing program since 1988 which has grown Canada wide, achieving 800 launches this year; Our facility has generated Olympians and many other high calibre athletes in the competitive sports we facilitate; The Marginal Wharf area to the east of the Jericho Sailing Centre presents a timely opportunity for the City to improve ocean access facilities for Vancouverites; A modest dock facility could cost less than a new playing field and effectively double the capacity of the disabled sailing program, accommodate current and anticipated future demand and provide year round opportunities to high end athletes in the sports we facilitate. The Canadian Olympic training centre for sailors is in Kingston, Ontario and Canadian athletes must train abroad in the winter-if an adequate facility existed in Vancouver they could train here year round. I will continue to faithfully report developments on the Vancouver Sport Strategy to members as they occur-please do your part by taking 10 minutes to complete the survey-thank you. The researchers will be gathering survey responses up until "mid-October".

Weekly Events at the Jericho Sailing Centre
Penguin Cup Racing October 7, 14 & 21

Upcoming JSCA Meetings:
JSCA Board October 9 @ 1900H
JSCA AGM October 23 @ 1900H

JSCA Office Hours
September Hours 0930H-1730H Weekdays. 0900H-1800H Weekends. Gates open at 0700H and are locked at Dusk. (approx. 1900H and fading fast).

On the Water, Your Safety is Your Responsibility
A reminder to members who play on the bay at this time of year-place an extra emphasis on boat safety for yourself and your crew. It starts with a check of the weather forecast and tidal activity. Let a friend or family member know you are going, where you are going and when you expect to be back on shore (follow-up with an après sailing phone call). Do a meticulous pre-launch check of your craft and equipment. Make sure you are properly dressed including your PFD. Double check your safety equipment-paddles, bailer, whistle, flares. Know when the sun is setting and understand that the wind often shuts off abruptly in the hour before sunset. Don't go farther from shore than you care to paddle back if you or your equipment should fail or the wind shuts off.
One final tip: enclose your fully charged cell phone in two sealed sandwich bags and keep on your person. In the event of a sea disaster you can't solve yourself, dialing *311 will put you in touch with the Canadian Coast Guard's Rescue Coordination Centre.

Fair winds,
Mike

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