PaBIA eBlast June 27, 2018

Volume 10 No. 7

Dear PaBIA,

The first big weekend of the summer is just around the corner! And the weather looks promising (although presently it is quite dry but forecasting rain for tomorrow) with a warmup on the horizon. Tonight has provided us the most spectacular sunset (we will see whether sunset at night, sailor’s delight holds true!) The water temp is around 18-19 degrees C (66 F). If you are traveling this weekend, be safe! See you on the water!

Emergency Preparedness In Pointe au Baril –

Do you know how to operate your own Fire Pump?

If you don’t have one, do you know who does?

Do you know where the PaBIA firepumps are located?

This is the time to learn/educate you and your family about what to do in the case of a fire. To have this knowledge already sorted out could mean the difference between losing your life, watching your cottage and/or your island’s trees and vegetation burn.

First, locate on the PaBIA map where PaBIA’s firepumps are situated. Then as you pass by the locations, please look for them.

These are Wajax firepumps, much heftier than most of those we cottagers typically have on hand. These pumps are started every two weeks by our MP to be sure they are in good working order. Watch for when the MP will be demonstrating how to operate them!

Then, make it a fun adventure for your entire family to start your own fire pump, making sure it is primed, the gas tank is full, and the hoses are already stretched out and ready to roll (and not leaking)! It’s a great way to water your trees!

Have you filled out the Emergency Card found on the back flap of the Yearbook? There is an area for you to jot down who has a fire pump and who would be willing to be called/texted on short notice to notify them of your need for help NOW!

Ein Prosit! Put it on Your Calendar NOW!

It’s Oktoberfest in July!

A PaBIA First!!

Don’t Miss Out!!

Everyone is Welcome

PaBIA Members and Non-Members!

Only $10 per person.

Saturday July 14^th Sailing Race “Rendezvous”

at Dave and Stacey Sharpe’s Cottage M-137.

Succulent BBQ Sausages-Beef, Pork and Turkey

Fresh from a local farmer.

Homemade Salads and Ice Cream Treats!

And of course, Ice Cold Norse Brewery Draft Beer and Ale fresh from their Nobel brewery and pulled straight from the kegs.

And cold drinks for the kids.

Valet boat parking will be available.

All Oktoberfest ticket proceeds will be going toward your PaBIA services.

Heavy Pine Pollen in 2018

Sweeping yellow dust off of deck furniture and porches? Sneezing and rubbing itchy eyes? Imagining shoals on the surface of the water? Is it gold dust or liquid gold? No worries! The dense, coniferous pollen this spring will break down naturally in the environment. On land, it mixes into soil and decomposes. In water, it collects in clumps, especially in coves and on shorelines. These grains eventually become waterlogged, sink and settle on the bottom. Decomposition under water happens at a much slower rate and often becomes “trapped”. Studying pollen from lake sediment cores has actually been used to study historical pollen levels, tree species and changes over time. Rest assured that research to date has shown that pollen on the water surface poses no threat to human or wildlife health. Feel free to swim in it!

Don’t mistaken heavy clumps on the surface for an algae bloom. Pine pollen is visible in June while algae blooms occur later in the summer in warm waters. They are visually different in texture, colour and smell! Check out this good resource from the Severn Sound Environmental Association!

Tianna Burke, Conservation Biologist at GBBR, provided the information above to Sandy Boeckh in answer to a question about this year’s dense pine pollen.

Next Race: SATURDAY June 30!

The Tune Up race was held this past weekend with shifty winds and the sun just breaking through the clouds. 4 boats raced, split between Scots and Albacores.

RC duties were executed flawlessly by Sue Scott, Graham Smith and John Tremayne, so we are off to a good start in 2018.

Thanks to the Honsbergers and McLarens for hosting the Rendezvous that was attended by 40 others.

The race this weekend is being held on SATURDAY, June 30 at 2:00 pm in Ojibway Bay. This aligns with the Entre Amis, which serves as the traditional Rendezvous for this event.

Correction: Mike and Sue Mosley with Bob and Jane Mosley in early June 2018

Marine Patrol Training – Your Dollars at Work!

You may see our two Marine Patrollers, Jenny and Abi, hard at work as they train for their summer on PaB waters. Cath Fairlie, our new MP Supervisor, has spent a great deal of time over the winter preparing for this summer’s training and seasonal activities for the marine patrollers.

Already they have completed a 2-day First Aid Training course. Did you see them in the water on Monday as they trained with the Britt Coast Guard on how to safely conuct boat tows and how to perform a water rescue? For the rest of the week, they will be getting certified in VHF radio communications, going over GBLT protocols with the GBLT staff, working with the EMS coordinator from Parry Sound to review rattlesnake bite protocols, and learning how to do water quality monitoring with the GBBR. Another important training session will be held with the Georgian Bay Forever on Phragmites identification and removal protocols.

A really busy week, but by the end of it the Patrollers will be ready to go for the season.

Entre Amis

The Ojibway Club Invites EVERYONE to come and reunite with all your summer friends while meeting new ones!

6:00 – 8:00 pm • Saturday, June 30 • Cash Bar

Your appetizer is your ticket in the door!

West Parry Sound Health Centre Foundation – Run/Walk/Pole UPDATE!

Donations for this event have now reached $91,337! Lynne Atkinson, Executive Director of the WPSHCF, has informed us that more donations have come in for the annual Run/Walk/Pole held in late May to make this the second highest year ever! Thanks to Desmasdon’s for contributing to this increase by matching all of their team’s pledges! Way to go and thanks again to all the PaBIA members who supported one of Team Pointe au Baril’s participants!

Yearbook Update (same as last week’s)

Each week, we will provide you a list of names for those who have provided updated information. However, the details of those changes is provided in a printable format for you to print out and insert into your own cottage copy!