PaBIA’s eBlast July 26, 2023

Jul 26, 2023 | Eblasts

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Volume 15 No. 20

PaBIA has a busy couple of weeks coming up – with the Jr and Sr Regattas and the Annual General Meeting, as well as an August Naturalist. We’ve hit the busiest part of the summer! The sailing clinics continue as do the weekly Saturday (or Sunday) races!

Here’s hoping the beautiful weather we are experiencing now will continue well into August! Our past weekend was a glorious display of GB weather with blue skies, warm sun and water. Perfect weather for picnics out on the rocks!

In this Eblast:

PaBIA

  • PaBIA Junior Regatta 2023 Saturday, July 29
  • PaBIA Senior Regatta 2023 Saturday August 5
  • PaBIA Annual Member Meeting August 7: Speakers: Ward 3 Councillors
  • Need a Babysitter for the PaBIA meeting? Check with Virginia
  • PaBIA Maps Online
  • Literally on the Bay – Georgian Bay edited by Nick Eyles
  • Mergansers Revisited by Trudy Irvine, Education Committee
  • PaBIA Marine Patrol: Sedum Acre and Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake
  • In Memoriam – Jane Munn

Of Interest:

Past Links

PaBIA

PaBIA Junior Regatta – July 29. 2023

Esmée Taylor, Georgia Taylor and Sophie Cooke, as Junior Regatta Co-Chairs, are getting ready for all kids, 14 and under, to participate in this year’s Junior Regatta! They want to be sure all kids are prepping for the variety of events!

Let’s encourage all young people to join in the fun by coming out and cheering for your favorite participant or team! And for all divers out there, the Ojibway Club has a new diving board!!!

And PaBIA sends out a huge thank you to Esmée Tayler who created this year’s flyer and to all Jr Regatta volunteers to help keep the events and scoring running smoothly!

PaBIA’s Senior Regatta – Saturday August 5
Everyone is Welcome and Encouraged to be a Member

With Kelly Watson and Will Lawler at the microphone, supported by their crew of volunteers, they have planned a perfect day for everyone to come out, participate and/or cheer for their favorite team!

PaBIA wants to thank Ben Pitfield for designing this year’s Senior Regatta flyer!

Attention all divers, the Ojibway Club has a new diving board!!!

PaBIA Annual General Meeting – Monday, August 7 – Speakers

Come here our Ward 3 Councillors speak about what The Township of the Archipelago is challenged with and their vision going forward: “The Channel Ahead”. The meeting begins right after our Blueberry Pancake breakfast!

In preparation for this year’s PaBIA Annual Meeting, the 2022 Annual Meeting minutes are linked here. The financials for 2022 can be found on page 34 of the 2023 PaBIA Yearbook.

Before each AGM, PaBIA introduces proposed directors for the coming year 2023-2024 to join your PaBIA Board of Directors. This year, Emma Manners is our proposed new director for Environment. She will join the following who will be up for re-elected as Directors: Dave Sharpe, Mark Gwozdecky, Lloyd Posno, Virginia Skuce, Mary Thomson, Nancy Rogers, Mike Berton, Trudy Irvine, Cath Fairlie, Katie Findlay, and Hilde Clark.

Babysitting for the AGM after Blueberry Pancake Breakfast?

For those who do not have their kids in Ojibway’s Camp but would like to stay for the Annual Meeting and need to have their kids looked after, please contact Virginia Skuce so she can arrange it for you

PaBIA Maps ONLINE

Are you aware that our webmaster, Dave Anderson, has been busy behind the scenes, working on an online Pointe au Baril map?

On your smartphone, search Google for pabia,ca/maps. Then, click on the map and you will see it with the main channels and the markers visible, along with island numbers. As with all Google maps, it will show you exactly where you are.

It’s not like Navionics that leave bread crumbs along your route, but if you are going to a particular location, it will help you to see where the markers are, the island numbers; and, once you think you have arrived, you can check to see if you have landed at your intended destination via the Google indicator or whether you need to go to the next cottage or channel!

Marine Patrol Events of the Week

While it was a shorter week for the Marine Patrol with our schedule shifted around slightly, it still was a very exciting week. On Sunday we made one of our few visits of the year to Little McCoy Island to look around the property and document any species at risk we saw on the island. Additionally we were assessing the amount of invasive Sedum acre on the island.

Sedum acre

Sedum acre, also known as Biting Stonecrop, is a plant that was brought over from Europe to North America. Some people plant it in their gardens, thinking it looks nice and that it helps stop weeds from growing. However its property of choking out weeds makes it invasive once it gets into the wild. It is known to choke out native flowers and vegetation. You can identify Sedum acre based on its behavior to spread in patches almost like a carpet, with short little stems and if the plant is blooming, little yellow flowers. While we removed some of the Sedum acre during our visit, there is still much more to be removed, demonstrating how invasive this species is to our wild ecosystem. Please avoid planting Sedum acre in your Gardens and if you find some on your property, you can remove it by pulling it out and bagging it

Sedum acre (Biting Stonecrop)

We were also extremely lucky to find an Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake on Little McCoy island. This particular Rattlesnake was around 3 feet in length making it quite a large specimen. Additionally, the Rattle on its tail was quite long, with around 12 rings, indicating it was a mature specimen that has shed its skin multiple times.

Originally we did not see it but we were alerted after the snake rattled at us as we passed by some brush. Rattlesnakes are not aggressive towards humans or dogs. They will not attack unless frightened so we gave it a good amount of space and let it go on its way. If you do find Rattlesnakes on your property, do not attempt to move or kill them. It puts you more at risk because the snake will feel at risk and will become more defensive. Since they are a species at risk, killing Rattlesnakes carries a maximum fine of $250,000 and up to a year in prison.

Bites from Rattlesnakes are extremely rare. Last year there were only 10 bites along the eastern shore of Georgian Bay. If you do get bit, seek medical attention by going to the Nursing Station or the West Parry Sound Health Center. If your dog gets bit, go to a vet and ask for the vet to prescribe Benadryl. However if you monitor your dog and your dog does not explore your property too much, the risk of a Rattlesnake biting your dog is extremely low. Rattlesnake prey is much smaller than any dog. Even small dogs that are less than 15 pounds are not prey for Rattlesnakes so they will only bite a dog if they feel threatened. The best way to prevent any bite is to just leave the snakes alone and to watch your dog so it does not wander around your property too much.

We look forward to another week out on the Bay. Please feel free to say hello if you see us working on an island or on the water. We are more than happy to inform you of the work we are doing and the impact it has on our community.

Of Interest

Your Nature on the Bay

Written by Trudy Irvine, PaBIA Director for Education. Each week, Trudy will be bringing Nature to you with her wonderful eye for unfolding a deeper meaning for us all to consider.

Photo of Merganser ‘Family’ taken by Linda Thurber

Mergansers Revisited

It takes a village to raise a duckling, and sometimes moms just need a break. Photographer Linda Thurber spotted this brave merganser female warily traversing the waters west of Ojibway Bay with at least 27 little charges in her care last week.

We’ve previously mentioned that mother mergansers have their work cut out for them. With the crisply colored green and white males departing shortly after breeding in the spring, the females are on their own with their flotillas of young for the summer. Common Mergansers are known to form “creches” (the care of another’s offspring in a colony), with groups of up to 30 or 40 ducklings left in the care of one female – often an older matriarch experienced with raising babies.

Merganser ducklings must be tough and grow up fast. Females usually nest in natural tree cavities or holes carved out by large woodpeckers. (On occasion they use rock crevices, holes in the ground, hollow logs, old buildings, or chimneys.) Young leave their nest hole within a day or so of hatching. The flightless chicks leap from the nest entrance and tumble to the forest floor, as shown in this delightful short video (which merits re-posting now that so many cottagers have access to the miracle of Starlink). Mother mergansers protect the chicks, but they catch all their own food – they start by diving for aquatic insects and switch over to fish at about 12 days old. 

Not as vocal as the Canada goose or as dapper as the formally attired loon, the merganser seems ubiquitously low key at first glance, but these amazingly tough little birds deserve a second look.

Literally on the Bay

Book recommendations by Charlotte Stein, owner of Parry Sound Books

Edited by Janet Irving, Education Committee.

There is nothing – absolutely nothing – like reading a book on a summer’s day on Georgian Bay! This summer we suggest some books that are literally set on the Bay – or feel so much so that we just had to include them

Georgian Bay

Edited by Nick Eyles, UPDATED



Georgian Bay is the most extensive freshwater archipelago in the world. An iconic waterscape with an ecosystem unique in North America. It is the home to a diverse range of plants, fish and other animals including rare reptiles and birds, and sensitive wetlands. This book brings together leading geologists, ecologists, artists, and archaeologists to tell the dramatic story of Georgian Bay from its earliest beginnings. Essential cottage reading!

FoodCycler Storage in Below Freezing Temperatures
ToA has sold out of these FoodCyclers – call before going to ToA Office!

There have been questions surrounding the off-season storage in below freezing temperatures for the FoodCycler in our cottage country.

The Township referred the question to FoodCycler directly and have recently heard back from them that, with proper care, there should be no issue with storing the FoodCycler machine below freezing, They have also indicated they will honour all warranty if any troubles are encountered.

From FoodCycler:

Based on our engineering team’s expertise, and anecdotal evidence including from personal experience, winter storage is not an issue. It’s important, however, that you take the right steps to protect the device. Just like any other small kitchen appliance (toaster, coffee maker, blender, etc.), these actions should be taken to ensure that the lifespan and functionality of the FoodCycler is not affected:

  1. Thoroughly clean and dry your FoodCycler and bucket prior to winter storage
  2. Keep the unit unplugged and away from any elements (such as rain or moisture, critters and vermin, excessive sunlight, etc.)
  3. Keep indoors and protect the unit in a cupboard, closet, or its original box, if available
  4. Let the appliance warm up to room temperature prior to first use upon returning to your seasonal dwelling

 We will honour all warranty terms and provide the same exceptional level of customer support to all your residents for any winter storage issues or concerns.

Arts on the Bay – Wednesday, August 2

PaB Community Centre

4 p.m. Social; 5 p.m. Dinner; 6 p.m. Show

Folk artist known throughout North America as the lead singer and founding member of multi – platinum country-roots group Prairie Oyster, Russell deCarle has spent the last decade carving out a solo career, concentrating on songwriting and rhythm guitar playing. ” I’m proud of the stuff I wrote for Prairie Oyster, but now I get to tell my own story with my material.”

Our special Artist this year is Karen Lediard – Metis artist working in mixed media.

WPSHC 103.3 Moose FM Radio-thon for Emergency Care – JULY 27

WPSHCF fundraising focus is on securing the $500,000 needed to provide the most up-to-date equipment and technologies for our Emergency Care needs. As government funding does not cover the costs of new and replacement equipment, we are most grateful to our community of donors for their support to provide the resources required to meet these needs.

Join us on July 27th from 6 am to 6 pm for the 103.3 Moose FM Radio-thon for Emergency Care. We always love to hear from you and hear why you LOVE OUR HOSPITAL!

Georgian Bay Forever‘s mission is to protect, enhance, and restore the aquatic ecosystem of Georgian Bay; the solutions to achieve this mission are as diverse as the things that threaten it. With so many projects to address these solutions, it’s often hard for our supporters to understand the full scope of what we do. Our monthly Eblast serves as the single best way to stay current with Georgian Bay Forever’s ongoing projects, participate in volunteer opportunities, and learn about sustainable living practices.

Click here to read GBF’s newest eBlast which includes: How to Reduce Microplastic Consumption: Actionable Ways To Reduce Your Exposure to Microplastics.

To subscribe to our Eblast, visit our website and look for the “sign up for our Newsletter” button at the top right hand corner, which, when pressed, will direct you to where you can fill out your name and email to subscribe to our Eblast mailing list.

Here is the July 2023 GBA Update

https://georgianbay.ca/flipbook/GBA-Summer-2023/

In Memoriam

Jane Munn, A404 – 1 Pebble, wife of Fred Munn, mother of Catharine (Douglas Richards) and Ian (Jennifer), July 2023.

Yearbook Updates

With each eBlast, we will provide you a list of names of those members who have provided updated contact information. The details of all the changes since the 2022 yearbook came out in late April are provided in THIS printable format for you to print out and insert into your own Yearbook! As of August 24th, here are the changes.

Patrick Cooke & Melissa Gabler – new members

Brad Dean – rejoined

Lianne Di Rocco – new member

Water Levels

Lakes Michigan/Huron Water Levels July 24, 2023

To better read the charts, please click on the chart for the Daily or Six Month Forecast Water level chart and the corresponding websites

Please support PaBIA’s Yearbook Advertisers 2023

This site’s advertising feature was created to provide assistance for special local information & events for existing Yearbook advertisers only.

Emergency 

• PaB Nursing Station
• Canadian Coast Guard 
Search and Rescue
800-267-7270
• PaBIA Emergency info

PaBIA