Originally Published February 2, 2020
The grounding of “March Wind” in January 2020 prompted Roy Hales to write a story about boats adrift. I’d like to dig (or dive?) a little deeper under that story and consider some of the factors that have led to the increasing number of derelict and dilapidated boats on the BC Coast.
Continue reading Vessels of Concern: Signs of the Times
By Madeline Dunnett, The Discourse, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
On a stormy day at the end of September, the vessels at Deep Water Recovery’s site in Union Bay were being pummelled with rain. Robert Bohn Senior, one of the company owners, and operations manager Mark Jurisich were clad in high-visibility clothing and gumboots.
The two men were leading myself and The Discourse Nanaimo reporter, Mick Sweetman, on a tour of the property. It was the first time The Discourse was offered a visit to the site, though we have been reporting on the shipbreaking situation in Union Bay since October 2023.
Continue reading Deep Water Recovery executives say shipbreaking operations aren’t polluting Union Bay
On Sunday, June 2nd, a 50 foot vessel sank near the Squirrel Cove dock on Cortes island.
“There was quite a lengthy, involved, process with the Coast Guard and Transport Canada. I am very happy to say that the vessel has now been removed and environmental remediation has taken place, but that was quite an exciting event for the Harbour Authority,” explained Jenny Hartwick, Harbourmaster for the Harbour Authority Cortes Island (HACI).
Continue reading Recent Sinking & Previous Derelict Vessels in Squirrel Cove
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.
Continue reading Wrecked Boat on the Rocks Below My Property
The Dead Boats Disposal Society was on Cortes Island last week.
John Roe (JR) said there are close to 4,000 abandoned boats in British Columbia, and he has been removing them for the past 30 years.
The provincial government set up the Clean Coast, Clean Waters Initiative Fund and the federal government has the Abandoned Boats Program.
“We have our team and are pretty proficient at boat removal. It just requires a lot of pre-work. The pre-work is myself going out as a volunteer, reaching out to the communities, coming up and documenting the boats,” said Roe.
That is what brought him to Cortes Island.
Continue reading The Dead Boats Disposal Society came to Cortes Island
