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 November 9-16, 2007 and beyond: 

Remember RCAF Jericho Beach Air Station

The bells that now toll here are wind whipped stainless halyards ringing a forest of anodized aluminum sailing dinghy masts, but it wasn't always that way.

Department of National Defense Building 13, now known as the Jericho Sailing Centre, was a hustling, bustling place in the years building up to, and during, the Second World War. Here, Canadians carried out their solemn duty to serve our country, to stand with honour to defend and preserve the freedom and way of life we cherish.

What is now known as Jericho Beach Park and the adjacent lands south of 4^th Avenue were part of the largest military training base in western Canada, Canadian Forces Base Jericho Beach. The foreshore, which was hemmed with an apron of concrete wharfs including 3 large airplane hangers and lucky Building 13, was RCAF Jericho Beach Air Station, a flying boat and seaplane training base. Through the CFB Jericho Beach passed thousands of western Canadians in their metamorphic odyssey from civilians to soldiers, launched from here to the eternal hell that is war. Many never came home. 

The Jericho Beach Air Station's focus was civil defense; launching recognizance missions from this shore to patrol the BC coast, looking for signs of enemy vessels and/or aircraft. This original Jericho "ocean access facility" featured floating wooden launch ramps, steel wheeled launch dollies, winches, winch ropes, indoor flying boat storage, armed guards and barbed wire, lots of barbed wire.

The crews and personnel of Royal Canadian Air Force Squadron 4, launched flying boats and seaplanes, craft with names like Blackburn Shark, Fairchild 71, Vickers MKII, Canso Catalina and the mainstay of the fleet, the Supermarine Stranraer - a sub hunter-nicknamed "the Whistling Birdcage" for the sound generated by it's biplane wing shrouds and rigging in flight.

The wind and the sea were elements as important to those brave souls as they are to us today although their work was far more dangerous than our leisure time launches. A dead calm sea was difficult to take off from as the heavy craft's hulls had to break through the salt laden surface tension to lift off. A sleeping sea was also treacherous to land on as it was impossible for sky skippers to judge altitude over a swiftly rising glassy surface. Larger waves could also be a problem. There were many spills; eleven aircrew lost in mishaps during this period. In one episode a Blackburn Shark's pontoons punched head on into an English Bay rogue wave in the late stages of a takeoff, flipping the bird and killing the crew. 

It may soothe the pacifist nature of our modern day members to know that in over 1700 wartime sorties the original crews of Jericho never fired a shot in anger and their only contact with the "other side" was a mysterious, ineffective, invasion of bomb rigged weather-type balloons in the winter of 1944/45.

The Jericho Arts Centre, Vancouver Hostel, Park Board Maintenance compound, a decrepit section of the Marginal Wharf, and Jericho Sailing Centre are all that remain in Jericho Beach Park in Remembrance of those flighty days and fearless crews.  When the tubular bells of the Jericho Sailing Centre ring every November 11 they ring for all who served our country and particularly for those who served from these shores. Whenever we launch from Jericho we are exercising the freedom passed on to us from their weathered hands. Remember them well.

"Thought some of your members might be interested in this.  I sailed for a few days on the Med with a crazy Vancouverite called Captain Clive who built a Chinese junk and sailed it around the world.  The Captain wrote a book about his experiences last year, several chapters at (http://nuthin-wong.blogspot.com/), I've read the whole thing it's a wild ride.  Thought other members would like to give a few chapters a read and maybe give him support if they'd like the full book."

Thanks Brent! JSCA members who have items or photos which may be of interest to other members are encouraged to send them in via "Reply" email.

Upcoming JSCA Meetings:

JSCA Board                                                   November 13 @ 1900H

Annual JSCA Fleet Planning Meeting          November 27 @ 1900H                                   

JSCA Office Hours

November Hours 0930H-1630H Weekdays. 0900H-1700H Weekends. Gates open at 0700H and are locked at Dusk. (approx. 1640H).

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. Jericho Rescue and other boaters are notably scarce at this time of the year so you must take extra care to ensure a safe on water session. 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. Recognize when conditions are beyond your ability and choose not to launch. Make sure you are properly dressed-wetsuit/drysuit/hat/booties/gloves-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