Jericho Sailing Centre Association                  May 2, 2012

 
in the wind
Ahoy Vancouver Ocean Lovers  
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 May 2, 2012 and beyond: 
In This Issue
Safety Seminar
SOS 2012
Jericho Open House
JSCA Fund Raising
Join our Mailing List!
UBC Sailing Club Board Swap THIS SATURDAY

UBC Sailing Club will be hosting a spring board swap meet at 10:00 AM on Saturday May 5th on the grass by the turnaround in front of the Jericho Sailing Centre.

For anyone who is new to the sport, the swap meet is a great way to meet the local windsurfing community and pick up some cheap gear to get you going. There will lots of people around to give advice and help you pick out the right gear.

  

Oil & Vancouver Waters: Are We Prepared or Should We Be Scared?

On Monday the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation passed a motion opposing increasing oil tanker traffic through Burrard Inlet. On Tuesday Vancouver City Council passed a motion requiring pipeline and oil companies to be fully liable for oil spills.  

 

For today the Jericho Sailing Centre Association will sit on the fence on this issue, legs dangling, our focus where it should be: on the delivery of low cost, ocean recreation programs, services and facilities for the people of Vancouver; and simply spectate, waiting on preparations for a Federal process to fall into place, all the while knowing that a major oil spill here would be an environmental catastrophe that could put an end to recreation on our Pacific playground for a very long time.

 

Port Metro Vancouver has done a very good job for a very long time facilitating the anchor of our region's economy- it has evolved into the busiest port in North America. Twenty years ago the 600 foot freighter "Chios Harmony" ran aground on Ferguson Point in Stanley Park - a "soft" grounding at a lower tide level. The Port of Vancouver (as they were known at the time), together with the Canadian Coast Guard, responded with quick, decisive action dispatching six sea tugs to tenderly pull her off the rocks as the incoming tide re-floated her. Everything went according to plan.

 

So what is the current plan when an oil tanker 3 times the size of the Exxon Valdez impales itself upon Siwash Rock? Or hits the previously struck concrete support of the Iron Workers Memorial Bridge at Second Narrows, steeping the Burrard Inlet and a large section of the Salish Sea with Kinder Morgan "Texas Tea"? Are we prepared, or, should we be scared?

 

Port Metro Vancouver has done an excellent job educating the public on Port Operations and the positive benefits through their website http://www.portmetrovancouver.com/en/Default.aspx but one thing that is missing is any mention of an environmental emergency response plan to an oil tanker accident with a major spill in Burrard Inlet. This is the information that the public needs prior to the National Energy Board Hearings on the Trans Mountain Pipeline.  

 

The 2010 images of the people of the Gulf Coast struggling to cope with their environmental oil disaster are haunting. What is our plan to avoid the same fate? Until we know we are prepared, we should probably be scared.

 

Here are the links to groups who want you to know more about the perils of oil tanker traffic through Burrard Inlet.

 

 http://www.GeorgiaStrait.org/tankersFAQ 

http://www.tankerfreebc.org/ 

http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/No_Oil_Tankers_in_Burrard_Inlet/

 

  

OAR Northwest Completes Salish Sea Expedition @ Jericho

The Canadian Wildlife Federation "Salish Sea Expedition" completed a 20 day  circumnavigation of Vancouver Island today with a pullout at the Jericho Sailing Centre.It was an arduous oar deal and the crew were very happy to test the hot water capacity of the Jericho Sailing Centre's showers. 

To learn more about OAR Northwest education, service and research programs.visit their website @

OAR Northwest

  

  

NEW PROGRAM - Thursday Nite Paddle Races @ Jericho

 

         Thursday Nite Paddle Races
                        @ Jericho


                    Kayaks, outriggers, surf skis, SUP's.
                    If you can paddle it, you can race it.

June 7 & 21
July 5 & 19
August 2, 16 & 30

First Start @ 1830H

Registration $5/
Free for JSCA Members

Draw Prizes
-
Sponsored By Ecomarine & Windsure Adventure Sports

Weekly Sail Racing Programs @ Jericho 

Tuesday Nite Racing every Tuesday through to September 4 @ 1815H. 

 

Sunday Racing will be 1230H every Sunday through to September 4 except for June 4 & 10: August 5 & 26; and, September 9.

 

Anyone interested in learning to race is encouraged to sign up for the Rookie Racing Seminar on June 17 @ 0900H. 

 

For a complete event schedule barge over to: http://jsca.bc.ca/events/  

 
Vancouver Marathon THIS SUNDAY - Jericho Access Challenges

Five thousand shoe pounders will be jogging past Jericho Park in the Vancouver Marathon this Sunday, May 6. Road closures will be in effect throughout the city including NW Marine Drive - the usual route taken to get to the Jericho Sailing Centre. NW Marine will be closed to vehicle traffic between 0845H-1200H.

   

There will be a controlled access point across NW Marine Drive into Jericho Park west at Belmont for access to the Jericho Sailing Centre. The busiest period and most difficult time to get vehicles into the park will be from 10:50-11:55 (expect to wait at least 5 minutes).

For more info on the Vancouver Marathon and road closures throughout the city sprint over to
http://www.bmovanmarathon.ca/

 

Pay Parking NOW in Effect
20 minute loading zone violators will be towed

Pay parking is in effect in all of the lots in Jericho Beach Park and the adjacent Locarno Beach parking lot. The 20 minute loading zone is for everyone's use as a "loading zone". Anyone who attempts to use/abuse it for parking can pick their car up at Busters Towing impound lot in east Vancouver.   

 

 If you are a frequent car traveller to the Jericho Sailing Centre, season parking passes are available through EasyPark for $83. You can get more information or apply online at http://www.easypark.ca/monthly-parking/apply-online.aspx .

(Carpark Number "69": Carpark Description "Jericho").

English Bay Safety Seminar  May 7
 

The English Bay Safety Seminar was developed for users of the Jericho Sailing Centre to help keep them safe at play on the waters of English Bay. The seminar covers basic water safety fundamentals along with user specific information drawn from the logs of the Jericho Rescue Team who have intervened in thousands of "sea disasters" over the past 37 years.

Why make your own mistakes when you can learn from the mistakes of others? Don't challenge Darwin's theory, make sure your water safety knowledge is the fittest it can be. Your survival may well depend upon it. Find the missing links and fill in the gaps in your water safety knowledge by attending a FREE English Bay Safety Seminar June 4 & 25. All times at 1900H RSVP JSCA office.

 

 


Send Us Your Jericho photos

 

We are looking for Jericho style photos to spruce up our newsletters and website.


Thanks to Zbigniev Wojtaszek for sending us this photo of Andy Mills breaking free from the sea on his International Moth a few years back.

Hang on and check out this video clip of Friederich Buxbaum flying his International Moth past the Jericho Rescue boat during a training session last Sunday.


 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwdvCTlXCIY
SOS 2012 - Season Opening Sailpast May 12
 

The first sail past launched from Jericho Beach may have taken place almost three thousand years ago when original inhabitants of this area set their canoes into the Salish sea and left their village behind to discover, hunt, trade or pillage.

The next sail past from Jericho Beach will be on Saturday, May 12, 2012. All JSCA members are invited to carry on this longstanding tradition. Sail, paddle, windsurf, row - whatever you like to do here, come out and do it on Saturday, May 12 between Noon and 1600H.

 

The SOS is important to you to ensure that all of your ocean excursions this season are blessed with favourable weather. The SOS is also an important part of the Jericho OPEN HOUSE as it gives our visiting landlubbers an opportunity to see the Jericho Sailing Centre in action. 

 


Jericho Boat Show OPEN HOUSE
 

The annual Jericho Boat Show Open House is on Saturday, May 12 from Noon-1600H. Bring your landlubber friends, co-workers, neighbours and relatives down to the Centre on that day to check out all of the ocean access opportunities available to them. Our schools, clubs and fleets will be on hand with sign-up information and displays, there will be plenty of activity on the water and guests will receive member discounts on purchases in the Galley Patio & Grill. 

 
2012 Fund Raising Campaign
As the Jericho Sailing Centre approaches 40 years of providing Vancouver citizens with low cost, ocean recreation programs, services and facilities, she is feeling her age and requiring infrastructure renewal and upgrades.

On the JSCA's radar are: compound plumbing replacement and upgrades; electrical service replacement and extension to the east end; roof repairs; rack and dolly replacement; winch replacement; fence repairs; new gates to better access beach areas; compound paving; and developing alternative energy sources such as solar hot water heating. The "Albatross" required extensive work this year during her annual refit. The large "heritage" hanger doors required expensive re-fabrication. Our auxiliary rescue and event support boat, "Jericho Marks" requires replacement in the next year or so. All this to say that, if the JSCA is to continue successfully meeting our "low cost" mandate in the future we must explore and develop alternative methods of fund raising.

The JSCA has launched a 2012 Fund Raising Campaign to assist us in achieving our goals. If you would like to donate or know of another person, or organization who would like to support distinctly Vancouver recreation, please contact us in the JSCA office.
For more information you can surf over to: JSCA 2012 Fund Raising Campaign

Or contact Mike Cotter, General Manager, Jericho Sailing Centre Association.


Spring School Sign-ups @ Jericho
Dinghy Sailing, Windsurfing and Ocean Kayaking Schools at the Jericho Sailing Centre start tip toeing out of hibernation in April and find their full on sea legs in the month of May. For full Season Pass, Rental or Lesson information and registration click the link below:

 

Dinghy Sailing                                                  http://www.macsailing.com/

 

Windsurfing & Stand Up Paddling       http://www.windsure.com/

 

Ocean Kayaking                                     http://www.ecomarine.com/

Jericho Club Sign-ups 

One of the best ways to enjoy recreational ocean access on Vancouver's largest playground is to join one of the community based clubs based out of the Jericho Sailing Centre. These low cost, not for profit, volunteer driven organizations provide a wide variety of boat access and training programs for dinghy sailing, paddling, windsurfing and rowing programs as well as social opportunities.  Clubs looking for new crew include:

 

        

UBC Sailing Club- General member section filled; still plenty of space for UBC students. For more info. http://register.ubcsailing.org/ 

   

Viking Sailing Club - For more information pillage over to:

 http://www.vikingsailingclub.bc.ca/join-our-club/ 

 

Discovery Sailing Club -- the Discovery Sailing Club is recruiting new members. For info. cruise to http://discoverysailing.org/     or phone Malcolm McMillan  604-228-1848.

  

Club Locarno -  New & returning member info. & sign-ups online at  http://www.clublocarno.com/   


 For more info. on all JSCA Affiliated Clubs surf over to http://jsca.bc.ca/clubs-2/  

  

Jericho Coyote Alert!
 Coyote's have again become regular visitors to the Jericho Sailing Centre's 4.5 acre compound over the past week or so. Unless you are a rabbit, rat or small off leash dog he should pose no danger to you. This situation could change if people feed the coyote. The Stanley Park Ecology Society reports that the majority of coyotes that have bitten children have been fed by adults. Please, let nature take it's course and DO NOT FEED the coyote. If a coyote approaches you can: appear as aggressive as possible; shout in a loud and deep voice or throw objects at the coyote keeping in mind that you will be responsible for any resulting damage or injury.
Your Safety on the Water is Your Responsibility
A reminder to those 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 after 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 *16 will put you in touch with the Canadian Coast Guard's Rescue Coordination Centre.

 
Links to previous issues