Nanaimo , BC Changes

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Rachel.

I recommend that you check out some of our variuos contributors’ other posts, to get an idea of the philosophical and psychological (psychiatric ) basis underlying their particular point of view.

I'd also note that a few of us regularly (virtually always) get the facts wrong.

[Marksman]

I understand that some may feel skeptical about the bouy thing, but that's exactly what occured in Eagle Harbor on Bainbridge Isl. The harbor is choked with mooring bouys spaced so no one can anchor there anywhere the water is deep enough to do so. But there is plenty of guest dock space... Google map it and see for yourself.

[michaelmrc]

as a past frequent visitor to marks bay newcastle island i can confirm what mr swain is talking about. used to be a great anchorage fairly well protected. was there 2 weeks ago and what a mess. piss poor job of installing the mooring balls and yes they are everywhere. had to anchor much closer to the traffic lane than i normally would. personally unless things change will be the last time i visit the non boater friendly harbour of nanaimo.

[Brent Swain]

It is clearly written on each buoy, "No boats over 30 feet allowed. Not to be used in winds over 30 knots, or over 55mph"

[perchance]

You guys need to get organized. Surely there must be enough boaters, cruisers and yachties in the area to have some clout. You represent a large amount of cash to every business you deal with in Nanaimo and elsewhere. They have a stake in this as well, they just don't seem to realise it. As a personal observation it seems that when the condo crowd moves, in the city moves the cruisers out.

[cchesley]

Okay, so I dropped Rachel an email. I'm done with Nanaimo unless things change. It's really too bad as I have always enjoyed stopping there when heading north and when returning.

Bummer.

[Lancerbye]

Originally Posted by perchance

You guys need to get organized. Surely there must be enough boaters, cruisers and yachties in the area to have some clout. You represent a large amount of cash to every business you deal with in Nanaimo and elsewhere. They have a stake in this as well, they just don't seem to realise it. As a personal observation it seems that when the condo crowd moves, in the city moves the cruisers out.

The problem is that there are a lot of boaters in the area, which all have regular moorage at some local marina. They will have little concern on what transient boaters want or don't want as they never use this service. The mooring field seems to have been designed to maximize profits to the local money grabbers. They know that they can fit fewer self sufficient cruisers in the same area if they allow larger boats. The mooring buoys have to be stronger therefore costlier. They have been studying this for some time. How to get the best return for the dollar. I as have many others used this place as a stop over waiting for tide changes or for overnight. While sitting there at anchor I noticed very few people going to shore. Most sat on the hook or buoy and cooked their meals and enjoyed their sundowners. I, when wanting to actually go ashore there, would book a moorage slip at a marina. I think they want the bigger boats to use moorage at slips for $60 plus per night. We are just numbers to the money men. Chances are the people in the boats smaller than 30 feet are on a mooring ball for extended periods of time as summer users.

[/PHP]

[NorthPacific]

I love BC, Sailed here 25 years, but this money grab is all too common. On the North Coast Our Fed Government has removed all the mooring buoys from the few hurricane holes we had on the coast. This is the place that has 50-60knot gales in the summer.

The one rescue boat capable of handling the area is being replaced with an oversized inflatable. Long lost the chopper with a winch. Little off topic but same mentality. People on Boats don't spend as much as campers and hotel guests.

[jrd22]

I emailed the park administration and asked several questions regarding Brent's post. I received a very brief generic answer which is below.

"The anchorage is not closed, we have mooring buoys in place in the
Newcastle Boundary now. Thats all. Sorry for the mis-information. I
hope we see you this summer.

Sincerely,

Newcastle Staff"

I specifically asked about the 30' restriction and how much room was left for anchoring.
I don't think we'll bother stopping there anymore.

[Jesse]

Having spent a few few days there every year since 1987, provisioning and having fun, I've watched the city fathers slowly change it to a place no longer worth the time to bother with. Ladysmith and Silva Bay suite me just fine. I kinda miss the Dinghy Dock Pub though. Jesse

[Rex Delay]

It is crappy out there right now so I am not going to putz over there and confirm but I believe there are about 30 moorings in Mark Bay. About half are marked "max 30 ft", the other half are marked "max 40 ft". I believe that is more for the proximity to the other moorings than the anchor system. The balls allow for more boats to moor securely in the summer and to generate revenue to maintain the Park. There is still a very large and open anchoring field to the south. Anchored boats require more swing room than moorings do. I think this is a positive step for the harbour. The maximum 30 knots of wind is, I am sure, your standard liability disclaimer. The moorings also block boats from anchoring in stupid places where they tend to wake up high and dry, which I have seen countless times.

[hummingway]

Nice to have another perspective on this and some first hand info.

[Brent Swain]

Originally Posted by Rex Delay

It is crappy out there right now so I am not going to putz over there and confirm but I believe there are about 30 moorings in Mark Bay. About half are marked "max 30 ft", the other half are marked "max 40 ft". I believe that is more for the proximity to the other moorings than the anchor system. The balls allow for more boats to moor securely in the summer and to generate revenue to maintain the Park. There is still a very large and open anchoring field to the south. Anchored boats require more swing room than moorings do. I think this is a positive step for the harbour. The maximum 30 knots of wind is, I am sure, your standard liability disclaimer. The moorings also block boats from anchoring in stupid places where they tend to wake up high and dry, which I have seen countless times.

It's a positive step for those who have a lot of money, at the expense of tiose who don't , both in Nananimo and anywhere else on the BC coast, as a precedent for charging people for the use of publicly owned harbours, and banning those who don't have a lot of money.
Reducing the amount of free anchorage will make the rest of the harbour far more crowded, especialy after 6 pm, when the charges kick in, and boats abandon the buoys en mass, to cram themselves in amoung the boats anchored in the rest of the harbour.
How does limiting the number of days a dingy may tie up a the downtown dock represent an "Improvement"?
What misinformation? Everything I have said so far has been confirmed .
Some of those buoys are far closer together than the length of a 30 ft boat, let alone two.
The best that can happen is for no one to show up there this summer. .

[IdoraKeeper]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Rachel.

I recommend that you check out some of our variuos contributors’ other posts, to get an idea of the philosophical and psychological (psychiatric ) basis underlying their particular point of view.

I'd also note that a few of us regularly (virtually always) get the facts wrong.

Gord you have been beaten into submission by females! Men are almost never wrong, we are merely mistaken (momentarily). These diatribes about mooring balls are merely the result of the unfortunate "condoization" of Nanaimo. There is a loss anywhere this happens even when it's far from the water.

Todd

[hummingway]

Originally Posted by Brent Swain

It's a positive step for those who have a lot of money, at the expense of tiose who don't , both in Nananimo and anywhere else on the BC coast, as a precedent for charging people for the use of publicly owned harbours, and banning those who don't have a lot of money.
Reducing the amount of free anchorage will make the rest of the harbour far more crowded, especialy after 6 pm, when the charges kick in, and boats abandon the buoys en mass, to cram themselves in amoung the boats anchored in the rest of the harbour.
How does limiting the number of days a dingy may tie up a the downtown dock represent an "Improvement"?
What misinformation? Everything I have said so far has been confirmed .
Some of those buoys are far closer together than the length of a 30 ft boat, let alone two.
The best that can happen is for no one to show up there this summer. .

It's a park Brent and most if not all of the parks charge to tie up to the bouys at least in season. You had suggested that the bouys were all for 30 foot boats but this information would suggest otherwise, You also said there was no room for anchoring but this recent post would indicate that's not the case.