Tag Archives: Boats

Arts, Community

Tales from Land Conservancies on Cortes, Quadra & 15 Other Islands

In 2021 Sheila Harrington embarked upon a three-year journey to explore the creation of local nature conservancies on 17 islands. Cortes and Quadra Islands were among them. She conducted more than 50 interviews, and wove together a chronicle of land conservancies and the people behind them since the 1990s. The resulting book, ‘Voices for the Islands, 30 Years Of Nature Conservation On The Salish Sea’ is just being released by Heritage House.

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Rivers & Oceans, Transportation

Wrecked Boat on the Rocks Below My Property

Text by Myrna Kerr; Photos by Mike Manson

A boat did a PanPan (“Possible Assistance Needed”) call at 4 AM on January 26, but the contact was not clear. So the Air Sea Rescue Helicopter went out looking for it.  The Sailboat was on the rocks below my house and, of course, out of sight even if it had lights on.

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Parks

Boats at Mansons Landing given a reprieve

The boats stored along the shoreline in Mansons Landing Provincial Park have been given a reprieve.

For the 15 most derelict vessels, this means another 30 days before they are removed by BC Parks. Cortes Currents followed three Park Rangers down the beach to watch them tag their first vessel, a fibreglass dinghy with holes torn out of its bottom. Another derelict vessel was being used as the roof of a crude shelter in the trees.  

There were a total of 57 boats in the park when the rangers arrived last month. Some have since been removed, but there are still a considerable number on the beach. Most of them look seaworthy. At some point in the near future, albeit measured in years rather than days, they must all be removed.

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Parks, Rivers & Oceans, Transportation

BC Parks flags boats on the beach at Mansons Landing

According to Lisa Ferentinos, people were leaving their small boats along the beach in Mansons Landing Provincial Park before there was a park.  

“I can’t imagine there’s ever been a time when people weren’t putting their boats on that beach. It’s been generations, and I can only assume pre-European contact there were many boats on that beach. I know, since the settlers have been here, it’s been a very popular beach for many people,” she said. 

Suddenly on Monday, October 17, a red sticker was put on every boat along the beach.

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Rivers & Oceans

What can Cortes Island do with its abandoned boats?

Last month Cortes Currents published a story about a local initiative to use some of the abandoned boats around Cortes Island for housing. There were more than a dozen boats at that time. Dominic dos Santos said he had found a Victoria based firm that will tow them away. Some would undergo any needed repairs and be sold. The remainder will be scrapped. dos Santos said he has fixed up a number of abandoned boats himself and sold them to Cortes residents who needed housing. Since then a person identifying himself as ‘Storm’ emailed Cortes Currents that putting people who cannot find housing onto boats ‘is a disaster waiting to happen.’ 

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