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Volume 16 No. 11
All systems are go here in PaB – albeit a bit wet at times – but nothing deters PaBers!
Please don’t let the rain take your focus off the potential hot, dry summer predicted and make sure your fire pumps are working well…then take a pic and send it in to be in a draw to win 1 out of 5 $100 prizes! Now through Sunday! See the poster below or on the Ojibway dock!
PaBIA Board of Directors met last Friday for all-day in-person meetings on your behalf to discuss some of the issues PaBIA is presently dealing with, then met with our Ward 3 Councillors before lunch. For lunch and the afternoon, the board met with all PaBIA volunteers, and the heads of the G4 organizations (GBA, GBF, GBB and GBLT) along with neighbouring islander associations whom each shared with everyone what they were doing to help to preserve and protect Georgian Bay. There was great sharing and enthusiasm!
Table of Contents In this eBlast:
PaBIA
- Start Your Fire Pump Contest – NOW through Sunday, July 7
- ToA Seeking Input for Speed Restrictions for Pointe au Baril Channel by THIS Friday
- PaBIA Sailing 2024 – Saturday’s 1st & 2nd Races, 2 pm
- Check out the June, July, and August Calendars
OF INTEREST
- Florence Church Rummage Sale – July 6
- Pleasure Craft Licence Expiry Search from FOCA
- BioBlitz – a Citizen Science Event with SFN & ICPA
- Georgian Bay Land Trust Protects 32,900 acres
- Yearbook Update – June 22, 2024
- Lake Michigan-Huron Water Levels – June 24, 2024
PaBIA
Missing/Broken Markers Contact Info
–
Should you find any
misplaced, missing or broken
PaBIA markers, please
email Tom Cavers IMMEDIATELY or
go to PaBIAi’s webpage!
Ready your Fire Pump(s) Before July 7 & Submit a Photo to Be Eligible to WIN!
PaBIA Sailing – Saturday, July 5 @ 2 p.m.
PaBIA Sailing’s first 2 races are this Saturday in Ojibway Bay. EVERYONE is encouraged to come and and join in. If you’d like more information regarding the sailing, and opportunities to join a crew, contact PaBIA’s Sailing Commodore, Andrew Vanderwal.
Should you wish to get weekly, more detailed information regarding the sailing races & rendez-vous following each race, please email Andr to be added to the list.
The full-year schedule can be found on PaBIA’s website!
Please Respond by July 5 as ToA is Seeking Input for Speed Restrictions in Pointe au Baril Channel
The Archipelago Council passed Resolution No. 23-176 directing staff to investigate the submission of a Vessel Operation Restriction Regulation (VORR) in the Pointe Au Baril channel, proposing to limit the speed of vessels to 10km/hr for a distance of 1.5km (see map). This proposal is based on many reports and concerns regarding the safety of users in the narrow channel, the protection of public and private infrastructure, and the environmental protection of the shorelines and species.
The Archipelago’s Strategic Plan contains strategic priorities including protecting and preserving our shorelines and environment and providing strong leadership through responsible decision-making. The proposed regulation would contribute to the safety and social values many in our Township enjoy, including the safe, quiet, and peaceful enjoyment of Georgian Bay and the Inland Lakes.
Currently, the Archipelago is consulting with residents, businesses, First Nations, and agencies to receive feedback on the proposed speed regulation. After reviewing your collective feedback, a decision will be made regarding proceeding with the application, which requires submission in August 2024 to Transport Canada, Office of Boating Safety, for a formal review. The timeline for recognizing the speed limit as an official regulation may take up to two years, and may result in speed limit signage, buoys, and additional enforcement.
Please send all correspondence to Josh Badger, ToA Director of Operations and Facilities, by July 5, 2024, for consideration.
Of Interest
Pleasure Craft Licence Expiry Search
When FOCA (Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations) was at ON-RBAC, we learned that Transport Canada has an online portal to check the expiry date of your Pleasure Craft Licence.
Any pleasure craft in Canada that has one or more engines whose total power is at least 10 horsepower (7.5 kW) or more, must have a Pleasure Craft Licence (which is like a licence plate for your car) – a unique number displayed on both sides of the bow of the boat, that is valid for 10 years. You can be fined $250 if your pleasure craft has no valid licence or is not registered. Visit TC’s webpage, for a link to the expiry search tool; you’ll need your boat licence number to search.
Important note: This is different than the Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) which is a proof of competency that is valid for life, once acquired through an accredited boating safety course and test.
BioBlitz – a Citizen Science Event
Shawanaga Island IPCA organized a highly successful Bio Blitz on May 23rd and 24th, a citizen science event to document as many species as possible within a specific area. This endeavor was made possible by the expertise of our biologists and technicians from the Shawanaga Species at Risk team, who skillfully guided groups across the island’s diverse terrain, cataloging a wide array of species.
Over two days, the project yielded an impressive 606 observations encompassing 242 different species! Such a remarkable achievement was only made possible through the dedicated participation of community members, partners, and staff. Organizations such as the Georgian Bay Biosphere, Georgian Bay Land Trust, Georgian Bay Islands National Park, and Georgian Bay Forever played pivotal roles in supporting this monumental event.
The majority of these valuable observations are accessible through the “Shawanaga Island BioBlitz 2024” project on the iNaturalist app or webpage, facilitating broader engagement and collaboration among enthusiasts and researchers.
Despite time constraints and limited access to certain areas, approximately 30%-40% of the island was surveyed. This initial data collection serves as an excellent foundation, and with such positive outcomes, we are eager to organize more events in the future. These efforts will contribute to a deeper understanding of the island’s biodiversity.”
Georgian Bay Land Trust protects 32,900 acres
The Georgian Bay Land Trust is thrilled to announce a major milestone in protecting Georgian Bay’s irreplaceable wilderness for everyone. The Land Trust and the Township of Georgian Bay have signed an agreement to conserve a network of land stretching from Honey Harbour to Twelve Mile Bay, directly conserving 553 acres of municipal land and providing additional protection to 32,900 acres of crown forests and wetlands. This is just the start of the Land Trust’s ongoing Corridor Project, whose goal is to secure our region’s ecological integrity and protect public access to nature by creating a protected habitat corridor along much of Georgian Bay’s eastern shoreline, including in the area around Pointe au Baril.
Yearbook Update
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 2023 yearbook came out in early May are provided in THIS printable format for you to print out and insert into your own Yearbook! Changes as of June 23 are below.
For reporting Markers’ problems
contact Tom Cavers by cell (pg. 267 in yearbook) or email
For contacting Secretary-Treasurer and Asst. Sec. Treas.
Nancy Rogers and Elise Findlay: contact.pabia@gmail-com
Nothing new this week!
Water Levels
Lakes Michigan/Huron Water Levels June 27th, 2024
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 2024
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