Ahoy JSCA Members:
Here is what's "in the wind", coming events
and items of interest at the Jericho Sailing Centre, Vancouver's
Ocean Access Community Centre, for July 10-16, 2008 and
beyond:
Lost Jericho Beach Liberated!
It's been hopelessly buried beneath massive concrete slabs
and rusty iron railings; imprisoned by a dense jail bar
forest of creosol soaked wooden pilings; untouched by
life giving sunlight and occupied by legions of scurvy
shore rats for the past 80 years: and finally, it seems,
a rare sandy treasure is about to be set free from a lifetime
of captivity: free, free at last; a new, rare passageway
from flip flop terra firma to the land of the liquid,
a beach that can spill forth Vancouver paddlers and other
naturally powered watercraft pilots, like leisure time
lemmings, into the sea. Central Jericho Beach is about
to become liberated.
The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation voted 5-1
on Monday night to adopt their staff recommended Option
1C: to remove the majority of the marginal wharf, immediately
to the east of the Jericho Sailing Centre, while retaining
a 5,000 square foot area of the eastern most section for
public ocean viewing and commemorative purposes, an option
favoured by the JSCA.
 The
removal of the wharf and return of most of the space it
occupies to a natural beach is great news for thousands
of Vancouverites who enjoy recreating in small naturally
powered water craft from the shores of Jericho Park. The
JSCA's next challenge is to convince the Vancouver Board
of Parks and Recreation that the absolute best designated
use of this newly liberated beachhead is to allow increased
public access for naturally powered watercraft - consistent
with the current designated use of the public beach in
front of the Jericho Sailing Centre. Since the current
ocean access beach footprint was established in 1978,
public demand for this type of passive, dynamic, non-polluting
recreation has skyrocketed. Congestion in the launch area
in front of the Jericho Sailing Centre has reached critical
mass and extending the usage to the newly liberated beach
seems like an obvious, natural evolution which the JSCA
will be championing.
According to Park Board Planning Staff the Jericho Marginal
Wharf Project is expected to commence in early 2009. To
view the conceptual plan click: Liberated Beach
Marina Update
So now where does this leave us in terms of a marina in
Jericho Park? This doesn't really change anything in respect
to consideration of a marina next door to the Jericho
Sailing Centre. The Park Board has said that they will
include us, along with their Burrard and Heather Marinas
in the development of an overall "Boating Strategy"
for Vancouver. The boating strategy for the last 35 years
with respect to making low cost, naturally powered, small
craft ocean access for all of Vancouver seems to have
been pretty good. Other cities have taken notice and have
tried to replicate the success of the Jericho Sailing
Centre - the closest example "Sail Sandpoint"
in Seattle-hopefully our city, and our civic leaders take
notice too - we'll do our best to remind them and we will
keep our members informed as developments occur.
BC Marine Trail Ocean Kayak Marathon
 The
annual BC Marine Trail Ocean Kayak Marathon is this
Sunday, July 13 at 0930H. Participants will race on
one of two courses: a 5 K sprint from Jericho Sailing
Centre to Kits Beach and back; and a 10 K marathon tour
of English Bay. This is a non-combative participant
friendly event. For more info and registration paddle
over to
Discovery's Annual Big Brothers Sailing Day Saturday
One of the coolest summer events of the year - the good
members of the Discovery Sailing Club open up their
hearts and their hulls to the Big Brothers organization
to take some kids who might otherwise not get an opportunity
to go sailing out for a splash of the briny. The boys
will also enjoy some sea time with volunteers of the
Jericho Rescue Team - these are the community spirit
of the Jericho Sailing Centre's finest hours. The picnic
area will be reserved for this event from Noon-1600H
Saturday.
UBC Sailing Club Beach Party - Sat. July 12
with "Said the Whale"
Come shake it to Said the Whale's new hit album, "Howe
Sounds/Taking Abalonia", as they play it live at
the Jericho Sailing Centre. Plus two local DJ's. Tickets
for only $12. Refreshments and tasty BBQ Sizzlers from
$3! Get your tickets through UBC Sailing, Zulu, Red
Cat or Scratch Records or reserve online at www.ubcsailing.org
Doors open at 8pm.
Subaru Half Iron Triathlon Sunday
This Sunday the Jericho Sailing Centre will play host
to the Subaru Vancouver International Half and Sprint
Triathlon. This event will showcase the Half Ironman
race (1.9km swim/90km bike/21km run), and also include
a shorter sprint race, relay, and a celebrity division.
Highlighting the celebrity division will be Jenny Fletcher,
a model who has been featured on the popular television
show "Deal or No Deal". Vancouver mayoral
candidate Peter Ladner will participate in the race
and serve as the Honorary Chairman for the second year.
Ladner has been a strong advocate of healthy lifestyles
and active living. Also featured will be Iron Chef Rob
Feenie. Also expected are former and current Olympic
athletes along with a few last minute surprises. The
race will host many of the best professionals in the
sport as they prepare for Ironman Canada and the famous
Hawaiian Ironman. The event will also feature hundreds
of amateur athletes, participating just for the challenge
of completing the distance, who will start side by side
with the professionals - something rare in most major
sporting competitions. This is the second year of the
event and marks the third stop of the Subaru West Coast
Triathlon Series. The race will be staged in the beautiful
Spanish Banks and University of British Columbia Endowment
Lands with the magnificent Vancouver city and mountain
skyline serving as the backdrop. For more information
on the race visit www.lifesport.ca
Remembering Jericho Beach Flying Boat Station
 The
Vancouver wing of the Air Force Association of Canada,
the Air Force Officer's Association, the Air Crew Association
of Greater Vancouver and the BC Veterans Commemorative
Association are seeking your support to commemorate
the significant role of the military personnel who served
at the Jericho Beach Flying Boat Station and to recognize
the distinctive nature of the station as the first Royal
Canadian Air Force air base in BC. For more information
take off to:
Jericho Air Station
Join the Jericho Kayak Fleet
The Jericho Kayak Fleet is inviting JSCA paddlers to
come out and join them for Social Paddles on Tuesday
evenings, Saturday mornings and the odd Full Moon. They
meet at the east side of ramp #4 TUESDAYS at 1900H and
Saturdays at 0845H. For further information e-mail Gail
Owen at Gail_Owen@jsca.bc.ca
Celebration of Lights Fireworks - July 23, 26, 30 and
August 2
Locarno Sailing Club Beach Party July 26
Viking Hawaiian Beach Bash Coming August 9
Send us your Jericho Sailing Centre photos.
We are looking for "Jericho style" photos
to spice up our website, newsletter and promote the
Jericho Sailing Centre. Please send us your photos with
a brief description.
Sunday Racing - Every Sunday at 1230H Precisely
Tuesday Nite Racing - Every Tuesday 1815H Sharp
Jericho Folk Club
The JFC injects music into the soul of the Jericho Sailing
Centre every Tuesday between now and the end of September.
1930H Session; 2000H Open Stage; 2120H Feature Artist.
$8 admission. For more info call (604) 222-4113
JSCA Office Hours
Hours; Tuesdays-Saturdays 0930H-2030H; Sunday &
Monday 0930H-1800H Gates open at 0700H and are locked
at Dusk. (approx. 2118H). The office closes every Wednesday
between Noon and 1230H for our weekly staff meeting
which helps us better serve the JSCA.
Upcoming JSCA Meetings:
Board Meeting July 14 @ 1900H
Operations Meeting July 21 @ 1830H
English Bay Safety Seminar July 14 & 28
@ 1900H
This 2 hour seminar covers all the known hazards in
English Bay as experienced by members over the past
35 years and chronicled in the logs of the Jericho Rescue
Team. Why learn the hard way in nature's harsh elements?
Learn from the mistakes of others in a nice dry classroom.
RSVP JSCA Office.
Safety is Your Responsibility - Tip of the Week
- Launch Area RED ZONE
As we navigate toward the busiest days of summer it
is worth reminding members that the Launch Area is for
transiting to and from shore only. With large numbers
of craft entering and leaving this zone it is likely
the riskiest part of your journey - keep a sharp lookout
while approaching and transiting this zone and move
through it expediantly.
Fair winds,
Mike
Following wake: Congratulations to JSCA members Chris
Stairs and Naomi Brunemeyer for producing JSCA's newest
member- little Ali was born on July 6 and immediately
began her training for the Canadian 2028 Olympic Sailing
Team.
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