LETTERS

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Send your letter, along with your full name, and your boat’s name (if applicable), to editor@pacificyachting.com. Note that letters are selected and edited for brevity and clarity.

The Laura Cove Conundrum

PY came in the mail today, always a happy day.

I saw the letter to the editor about Laura Bay / Laura Cove. For sure there’s a Laura Cove in Desolation Sound but there’s also a Laura Cove in the Broughtons. There’s Laura Bay on the left but if you zoom in in the anchorage it says Laura Cove. I think Deane Hislop was anchored behind the little island in Laura Cove, as were we.

—Gordon Currie

Hosts No More

The Council of BC Yacht Clubs is disappointed to discover that Parks Canada has just cancelled their federal Park Host program. Volunteer Park Hosts from the Royal Victoria and Sidney North Saanich Yacht Clubs were the frontline in protecting designated marine parks in their regions. This cancellation will either increase the expenses of Parks Canada when they replace the free services provided by volunteers, or the parks will suffer degradation. On the provincial side, the Council of BC Yacht Clubs has been involved in coordinating a Park Host program with BC Parks for many years. Volunteer Park Hosts from Maple Bay, Capital City, and Comox Valley Yacht Clubs take their boats to nearby marine parks and greet visitors, providing a presence to encourage the enjoyment of the parks, but also to be the “eyes on the beach” to help maintain the parks for future generations. As well as educating visitors, they pick up litter and aquaculture debris, watch for fires, protect sensitive habitats through education and occasionally assist in a marine rescue. We urge boaters who enjoy marine parks to email Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change at Steven.Guilbeault@parl.gc.ca to ask that the federal Park Host program be reinstated.

—Roger Hind, President Council of BC Yacht Clubs

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Events

The Best Sailing Race You’ve Never Heard of

If you know, you know to arrive at Shark Spit on the full moon in August, ready to race. Running now for almost four decades, this unique regatta is in a league of its own. With no publicity surrounding the race, we were lucky to have been told about it one night while hanging out on the hook in Mansons Landing, a popular anchorage on Cortes Island. With a few glasses of wine sitting between our ears, all we picked up was that it was bound to be a good time. Organized by a community of ‘very boaty’ friends, there are actually two races that represent a long-held rivalry over ‘the best way’ to race. Hubert’s Race—the one ‘round Marina Is- land’—is held the day before the full moon. Starting on the sands of Shark Spit with the ringing of a bell, captains swim/ row/paddle back to their boats, haul anchor and race around Marina Island in whichever direction they desire. The winner is the first to return to the beach and ring the bell. Not everyone agrees with this racing etiquette. Another race, held on the day of the full moon, is a more traditional affair. Sailors remain on their vessels for the duration of the race, tacking and gybing around buoys and back to the starting line. Arriving at Shark Spit a little late, the regatta was well underway with boats already gently puffing around the starting line. One air horn later, they were off and coming straight at us. Not being one to bail on a commitment to new friends, we threw up our canvas and joined the competition. It was a day of blue skies, warm sunshine and very light wind. So light that after the first hour we had only drifted a few metres away from the starting line. We were completely becalmed, holding out our headsail with a gaff to catch any wind we could. Suddenly we felt a gentle breeze and trimmed our sails so that we managed to reach a top speed of three knots, finally making it around the first buoy. We were racing now! Short lived, the wind died again, as it often does during the warm afternoons here in the Strait of Georgia. Six hours passed before we finally made it around the second buoy and back to Shark Spit. A riveting tortoise race. Following the fun, we dropped our hook and rowed to the spit for a humble ceremony where each participant was given high praise as well as a trophy (whatever vintage nautical junk is lying around), recognizing their efforts and celebrating their commitment to the race. Racers stuck around after the awards sharing stories, laughs and food. Rumour has it a dolphin steak dinner was shared many August moons ago. A beautiful evening made even more so by a stunning celestial show—the rise of a big blood moon. This one-of-a-kind regatta is held annually on the full moon in August at Shark Spit on Marina Island. Excitement is already building for this year with the lunar calendar hosting not one, but two full moons. There are whispers that a rare and elusive bluemoon regatta will also be taking place.

If you’re in the area of Cortes Island and want to join in on the fun, be sure to ask around the anchorage—you’ll gather all the details you seek.

—Allison and James youtube.com/c/allisonjames

BC Boat Show Returns to Sidney

The BC Boat Show is back and better than ever! The West Coast’s largest in-water boat show will be held from May 4 to 7 at Port Sidney Marina in Sidney. With thousands of visitors expected from across British Columbia, Alberta and Washington State, along with dozens of exhibitors, the seaside town of Sidney will be transformed for the weekend.

Visitors will be able to view more than 200 new and used watercraft, spanning from paddle boards, kayaks and inflatables, to boats and yachts of varying sizes, both power and sail. Professional brokerages will bring a large inventory of vessels to the show and will be available to welcome attendees aboard to tour the boats of their dreams.

In addition to the boats, the show will feature exhibits from marine-related businesses, offering products and services such as boat yard services, hardware, equipment, navigation electronics and boating apparel. This provides a unique opportunity for attendees to not only see the latest boats on the market but also explore a variety of products and services related to the boating lifestyle.

Boat show manager, Steven Threadkell, is excited about the prospect of another busy show:

“I’m really looking forward to this year’s show. There will be a large inventory of new and premium used boats for people to realize their dreams of life on the water. Be it big or small, power or sail, boating in BC is just magic. The experience stays with you forever.”

For visitors to the Island, the BC Boat Show is providing a free shuttle bus from the Swartz Bay ferry terminal and from the convenient free parking at the top of Beacon Avenue. Make a weekend of it and enjoy all that Sidney and the surrounding areas have to offer, including beautiful beaches, forest hikes, top-notch restaurants, shopping and many visitor attractions.

Stay informed at bcboatshow. com or on Facebook and Instagram @BCBoatShow.

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