PaBIA eBlast August 7, 2019

Volume 11 No.15

Dear PaBIA,

As we enjoy the height of the summer and all this beautiful sunny weather, please know that lights at night ON your boats is mandatory but your spot lights on your island, although great for seeing your way to the cottage, can be blinding to the boater in your channel. If your pathway or spotlights are pointed in the direction of the Bay, please consider altering their direction or wattage (or both) to provide the boater’s unimpeded vision of the channel! Thank you!

In this eBlast:

Ojibway’s Art Show – Aug 9-11
PaBIA Sailing Races – August 10
PaBIA Naturalist – August 11
PaBIA Phragmites Cut – August 11 & 18
Habitat for Humanity Build – Celebration of Community Aug 11
The Climate Crisis – August 12
ToA First Call for CZBL Review – August 16
GBF Shoreline Bay Cleanup – August 25
Fire Extinguishers Back in Stock – Pick Up All Ordered Ones
Boating Behavior Reminders and OPP Phone Number 24/7
PaBIA MP Training with Canadian Coast Guard
Ontario Birds: Raven or Crow?
Lakes Michigan/Huron Water Levels Aug 2, 2019
Yearbook Update

Week Starting Wednesday, August 7^th

Ojibway Art Show

Cocktail Party & Art Show –

Friday night,

August 9, 5:00 – 7:00 pm

Art Show

Saturday and Sunday

August 10th & 11th

10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Pick up items after 2 pm

Ojibway Hotel Lounge and Dining Room

Saturday Sailing Races – 2:00 p.m.

The next races are this Saturday August 10 at 2 pm on the Open course at the end of Empress Channel, with the Rendezvous hosted by Jan and Andrew Vanderwal at A510-33 (at the end of the long bay behind Ojibway Island). Watch for an email on Saturday if we need to move the race to Ojibway Bay due to the weather.

Week of August 11^th

Seeking Volunteers for Phragmites Cuts

August 11^th and August 18^th

The Marine Patrol is ready to tackle the 6 phragmites patches around the Bay again this year and would love all the help they could get! The patches are considerably smaller than last year; but it is still an ongoing problem that, as the community, we need to face.

The phragmites cuts will take place on August 11^th and August 18^th(time TBD). If you, or anyone you know, would like to volunteer, contact us by email, phone (647-545-9283), or stop by our office during our office hours (8:30-9:30 a.m. or 4:00-5:00 p.m. – Thurs-Tuesday). Everyone is welcome to join in this important effort, and we hope to see lots of you out there!

If you have any questions about phragmites or the cuts taking place this year do not hesitate to call, email or stop by! Remember, it is important that the phragmites NOT be cut prior to these dates, as both the cutting and the disposal of the plant is very specific so as not to end up spreading the seeds that could later germinate!

NOTICE OF INITIAL

INFORMATION SESSIONS CONCERNING COMPREHENSIVE ZONING BY-LAW REVIEW

Please be advised that the Corporation of the Township of The Archipelago has initiated a Review of its Comprehensive Zoning By-law pursuant to Section 34 of the Planning Act. As a “kick-off” to this process, the Township will be holding three Public Information Sessions, one at the Municipal office and one in each of the north and south sections of the Township to inform the public on the process and in turn, give the public the opportunity to provide input on matters related to the Comprehensive Zoning By-law.

DATE, TIME AND LOCATION OF PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSIONS SESSION 1: Thursday, August 15th from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the Council Chamber of the Municipal Office, 9 James Street, Parry Sound SESSION 2: Friday, August 16th from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the Pointe au Baril Community Centre, 70 South Shore Road, Pointe au Baril SESSION 3: Saturday, August 17th from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm at the SSCA Schoolhouse, 21 B321 Island (Frying Pan Island), The Archipelago. Read on…

Upcoming Programmes

Sunday, August 25th – Lighten the Plastic Pollution

Check with Cassie Weston at Georgian Bay Forever for more details.

Ongoing Programmes

PaBIA’s Marine Patrol with the

Canadian Coast Guard

The past couple of weeks the Marine Patrol have been spending some time with the BRITT Coastguard! We go out and practice towing techniques and learn what to do in emergency situations! It is so much fun and to know that they are in such close proximity is fantastic.

You may also have seen and or met them as they were at the Ojibway Club for both the Jr and Sr Regatta! They love coming down and interacting with everyone! We are looking forward to continue working and training with them to keep the bay as safe as we can!

Celebrate Habitat, Celebrate Community

You are invited! This Sunday, August 11, come participate in the Pointe au Baril community’s celebration of the Habitat for Humanity home!

The Florence Universal Church, on South Shore Road, is dedicating a service to our project, and we would be thrilled if you could join us. Islanders Sted Garber and Matt MacLeod will be contributing by reading and on the guitar. Service begins at 11 a.m. and lunch will follow. Please drive, as there is limited docking.

“As we build a home for a family in need, we also build up the PaB community.”

Updates from the Build

The walls of the second floor are well underway! The house looks nearly unrecognizable and moving quickly. Thank you to the hardworking volunteers who have brought us this far, and it is not too late to get involved! If you are interested in contributing, please contact Rachael. To stay up-to-date with our updates join our mailing list and follow us on Facebook!

For Canadians, donate here. Be sure to select the Pointe au Baril fund, and include a message for us.

For Americans, use this link. All donations will go to the PaB Build.

Check out our Facebook page for updates and photos

Of Interest

Fire Extinguishers Back in Stock!

As of Sunday, CCY has 60 NEW fire extinguishers back in stock for those who have ordered but not yet picked them up. Please, please do purchase them at CCY within the next week if at all possible.

There were a total of 190 fire extinguishers sold through the PaBIA website to obtain these. Please remember that you received a discount ONLY because of CCY’s willingness to forego their markup – so it is crucial that you pick your order up ASAP!

Reporting Boater Behaviour

It’s that peak time of year again when the boat traffic is the most congested, major channels seem to have 4 times as many boats going every which way and boating etiquette seems to go on hiatus. Unfortunately this is occurring both during the day and at night. A couple of reminders/requests:

Seadoos (most of which do not have built in lights) are going out to the open either at dusk OR after sundown WITHOUT lights. Other boaters cannot see or hear you…making this a recipe for disaster. Seadoos are unlawful from dusk on without navigational lights.
This need to use navigational lights is required for any boat on the water from dusk on!!!

Boaters returning home after a party are encouraged to drive slow. Years ago, after a tragic boating accident here in Pointe au Baril, there was a successful Slow Ride campaign which encouraged everyone to drive home slowly – and it became a culture here in PaB..

It’s been observed that this smart boating choice is less common today! We therefore encourage everyone to reevaluate their priorities and drive slow and get home safely. NOONE wants a repeat of a tragedy.

Poor boating behaviour should be reported to the

OPP at 1 888-310-1122, NOT 911. This line is available 24/7.

The OPP are prepared to follow up on reports of poor boater behaviour, including

xxx•Driving dangerously

Speeding thorough slow zones,
Slaloming PWCs through inner channels, etc.),

xxx•Drinking while driving – OPP has zero tolerance for alcohol xxx•consumption while driving

xxx•Environmental or pollution offences.

xxx•Lack of life jackets.

Excessive engine noise is not a complaint that is easy for the OPP to deal with.

The more information a caller can provide to the OPP the better, such as xxx•exact location,

xxx•time, and

xxx•colour/style/name/ license number of boat(s) involved.

xxx•Pictures are even better.

Police prefer complainants to go on the record when making a complaint, but understand that circumstances arise where people prefer to remain anonymous. The OPP will honour such requests. If the complaint involves a criminal offence and you wish to remain anonymous, you can also call Crime Stoppers.

Ontario Birds – Raven or Crow

(Click on the name of the bird below to listen to one of its calls.)

The Raven is on the Left and the Crow is on the right!

Is it a crow or a raven flying overhead?

The two species, Common Ravens and American Crows, overlap widely throughout North America, and they look quite similar. But how can you tell them apart?

Size:

Ravens are larger, the size of a Red-tailed Hawk and often travel in pairs.

Crows are seen in larger groups.

Tail:

The crow has tail feathers are basically the same length, so when the bird spreads its tail, it opens like a fan.

Ravens, however, have longer middle feathers in their tails, so their tail appears wedge-shaped when open.

Calls:

Crows give a cawing sound.

Ravens produce a lower croaking sound.

In flight:

Ravens ride the thermals and soar,

Crows do more flapping.

Beaks & Bristles & Throat Feathers:

Ravens have bigger, curvier beaks and although both have bristles at the base of the beak, the raven’s are noticeably longer. Its throat feathers are also quite shaggy.

Location:

Common Ravens are much less common than American Crows in Eastern North America.

Taken from Birdnote.

Lakes Michigan/Huron Water Levels – August 2, 2019

To better read the charts, please click on the chart for a pdf for the Daily Water level (top) chart and the website for the Water Levels six month projection (bottom)

Yearbook Updates

Each week, we will provide you a list of names for those who have provided updated information. The details of all the changes since the Yearbook’s came out in April is provided in a printable format for you to print out and insert into your own Yearbook copy!

Sallie Bieterman (new)

Brendan O’Neill (new)