Jericho Sailing Centre "in the wind" July 26, 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 July 26-August 1, 2007 and beyond:

Jericho Sailing Centre Declared an "Essential Service"
Does the civic strike have you feeling down in the dumps? Is your garbage piling high while your spirits sink because strike struck, landlubber community centres can't deliver your yoga and pottery weaving programs? You need a salt water therapy session, now more than ever. Come down to the Jericho Sailing Centre and escape the surly bonds of earth. Release the hounds that dog you, unleash your stress and splash your way to a positively buoyant state of mental harmony. Ohmmmm. Our ocean access programs are unaffected by labour strife as JSCA members have declared their Jericho sessions essential to providing a healthy balance in that great big tippy canoe of life. Is your life disrupted, are you feeling capsized? We're essentially there for you whenever you need us. Now if we can just get everyone to take a big bag of garbage home with them as they leave the Centre.

Swift Solo North American Championships Concludes Saturday
A classic sunny July Burrard Inlet thermal breeze helped launch Day One of racing at the 2007 Swift Solo North American Championships. Competitors from various parts of Canada and the USA sheeted in the breathtaking Vancouver scenery and planed the day away on their wooden racing skiffs. Racing continues through Saturday between 1100H-1430H.

New Program at Jericho "Kayoga"
The Jericho Sailing Centre's kayak school contractor, Ecomarine Ocean Kayak Centre, has been providing innovative kayak instruction programs for over a quarter of a century. Their newest program offering is "Kayoga", a fusion of ocean kayaking and outdoor yoga conducted on Sundays from 0900H-Noon. The program was developed by instructor Diana (Dee-anna) Senichenko. To sign up stretch over to www.kayoga.ca.

Waiting List for Ground Craft Storage Equals Peer Pressure on Inactive Craft
Not using your ground stored craft? The JSCA needs your spot. We currently have 15 boats on our waiting list and we would like to accommodate them all. At this time our staff is taking stock of inactive craft populating the compound. If necessary, under the terms of our Boat Storage Policy, storage rights for these craft may be withdrawn. We are currently asking members who may wish to voluntarily relinquish their ground storage to contact the office to arrange a refund on the unused portion of their storage fees.

JSCA Environmental Emergency Response Team
This past Tuesday's environmental calamity on the eastern shore of Burrard Inlet brings to mind the possibility of an oil spill on the shores of English Bay. JSCA members tend to be more mindful and appreciative of Vancouver's marine environment than most-some of us ingest that water and pass it through our noses as we sputteringly recover from our capsizes. If (when) a localized environmental emergency occurs which requires motivated volunteers we will put out the call via this email list.

LAUNCH Dolly Etiquette
We would like to reminder members that JSCA launch dollies are for everyone's use. Please show consideration of your fellow members by using dollies only for launching and retrieval. Dollies used to launch boats must be immediately returned to the fence and not left on the shoreline.

Alternative Energy Opportunities
The JSCA Operations Committee will be recommending that the JSCA Board seek information on alternative energy sources which may be available for use in the operation of the Jericho Sailing Centre in the short term and long term future. Committee discussion included heating water for showers utilizing solar and/or geothermal heating. A detailed energy audit is being planned for September if funding permits. Any members with specialized knowledge in alternative energy sources who are willing to volunteer their knowledge and expertise are welcome to join in this discussion.

Celebration of Lights Fireworks-Great Balls of Fire!
The annual Celebration of Lights Fireworks continues on English Bay Saturday, July 28, and August 1 & 4 at 2200H (10pm for landlubbers) The view from the Jericho Sailing Centre is pretty good and a far more traffic/parking friendly venue than English Bay Beach or Kits Point. We strongly recommend that members and guests DO NOT take boats out on fireworks evenings as it is extremely hazardous. At the end of the show, hundreds of boats, all bigger than you, disperse in hundreds of different directions and the resulting turbulent sea surface reflects light in every direction making Jericho size boats impossible to see.

Next ENGLISH BAY SAFETY SEMINAR
Monday, July 30 @ 1900H

Garden Party-Volunteer Workparty This Saturday, July 28
Come help us beautify the Jericho Sailing Centre. Paul Morris and his collection of green thumb volunteers will be working in the Evergreen native plant garden between the main entrance and the SW corner of the compound. Join the crew, help make Jericho more beautiful than it already is Saturday, July 28 at 1000H.

Battle of the Blackberries-Volunteer Workparties
This Saturday & Sunday @ 1000H.

Turn your family and friends into Jericho Junkies!
Introduce your friends, family, neighbours and co-workers to the Jericho Sailing Centre. Our school programs are filling fast. Windsurfing lessons from $49, kayaking lessons from $69, dinghy sailing lessons from $230. Windsurfing season's passes from $199 Kayaking season's passes $330. Dinghy Sailing season's passes $300.

Weekly Events at the Jericho Sailing Centre
Jericho Folk Club Tuesdays 2000H
Sunday Racing Non-regatta Sundays 1230H
Tuesday Nite Racing Tuesdays 1815H
Ecomarine Thursday Night Paddling Thursdays 1800H

Jericho Galley Patio & Grill
The Jericho Galley Patio & Grill is open 7 days a week 0900H-Sunset on weekends and 1100H-Sunset on weekdays weather depending.

Upcoming JSCA Meetings:
Marginal Wharf Committee July 30 @ 1900H
JSCA Board August 13 @ 1900H

JSCA Office Hours
0900H-2100H Tuesdays- Saturdays. 0900H-1900H Sundays, Mondays & Holidays. Gates open at 0700H and are locked at Dusk. (approx. 2105H)

The Centreboard
We invite all JSCA members to contribute pictures and articles to "the Centreboard" portion of our website simply by replying to this email.

Fair winds,
Mike

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