In the wind: September 27, 2023
In The Wind, ITW – Newsletter of the JSCA, News
UBCREC Day of the Longboat
This weekend the Jericho Sailing Centre celebrates a fond, 3,000 year affinity with the paddle in this Salish Sea neighbourhood as Vancouver’s Ocean Community Centre, hosts the UBCREC “Day of the Longboat”. We welcome everyone to come view this spectator friendly, ocean playground, community event. You will witness an invigoratingly unique, very large, youthfully spirited, quite loud, Salish Sea, celebration of the paddle; our soul connection to Vancouver’s most ancient community. Your ocean spirit, will be lifted.
The event takes place on September 30 and October 1 from 0800-1600H. The 8-boat heats will start from the Jericho Sailing Centre shore between ramps #1 & #2 every 8 minutes or so and return to the shore between ramps #3 & #4 after completing their 2 km round trip to and from Jerry’s Cove east of the Jericho Sailing Centre. It is important to pay close attention and keep a sharp lookout when launching or approaching the shore to ensure you don’t become an unfortunate part of the race. Members of the Jericho Rescue Team will be stationed on the shore and on the water to assist anyone launching a craft or returning to shore. Please heed their advice and be extra vigilant when transiting the area.
To get a taste of what Day of the Longboat is all about check out this video produced by UBCREC of a previous Day of the Longboat race.
Saturday September 30 – National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
The day honours the children who never returned home and Survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process.
All Canadians are encouraged to wear orange to honour the thousands of Survivors of residential schools.
PAY PARKING UPDATE
Current Season Passes Expire September 30
NO OFF SEASON PASS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE, HOWEVER,
The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation have been listening to messages sent by users of the Jericho Sailing Centre and have scheduled consideration of this issue on the agenda of their October 16 meeting.
Please continue to voice your support for Low Season Parking Passes in Jericho Beach Park by:
Submitting feedback to the park board via the Van311 app at the following link:
https://van311.ca/services/park-board-commissioner-feedback
From here you are asked to enter the following:
Location (1300 Discovery Street)
Park name, facility, site or service
Provide details of your request/feedback
Last week I sent the following letter regarding low season parking passes to Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation Acting General Manager, Steve Jackson cc:ing all Commissioners. The Commissioner links below are active and we encourage interested users of the Jericho Sailing Centre to send your own message to them, if you haven’t already. Please feel free to cut and paste from my letter and remember to keep comments constructive and respectful-the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation has been our partner for almost half a century.
September 20, 2023
Mr. Steve Jackson, Acting General Manager
Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation
2099 Beach Avenue
Vancouver, British Columbia V6G 1Z4
Dear Mr. Jackson:
I am writing to request the correction of an apparent budgeting oversight in the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation’s last budget planning cycle which left users of the Jericho Sailing Centre without an option to purchase a Low Season parking pass in Jericho Beach Park for the period October 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024.
The non-taxpayer funded Jericho Sailing Centre Association has operated the Jericho Sailing Centre in co-operation with the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation since 1974. Our shared mandate is to provide highly accessible, low cost, programs, facilities and services for small, naturally powered craft (kayaks, rowboats, canoes, SUPs, windsurfers, sailing dinghies, etc.) to the people of Vancouver. Many Vancouverites enjoy the use of this unique publicly accessible facility, Vancouver’s Ocean Community Centre, year-round and this unfortunate oversight will have an adverse impact on their accessibility.
Marine recreation users of Vanier Park and Stanley Park have the option to purchase Low Season parking passes to facilitate their recreation on Vancouver’s largest playground. We respectfully ask that users of the Jericho Sailing Centre be given the same opportunity.
Thank you for your consideration.
Fair winds,
Mike Cotter,
General Manager
Brennan.Bastyovanszky@vancouver.ca
Laura.Christensen@vancouver.ca
Tom.Digby@vancouver.ca
Angela.Haer@vancouver.ca
Marie-Claire.Howard@vancouver.ca
Scott.Jensen@vancouver.ca
Jas.Virdi@vancouver.ca
If you are using the Jericho Sailing Centre in October please come to our office reception window prior to paying for parking.
Fall Events at Jericho
UBC REC Day of the Longboat September 30 and October 1 at 0800H until 1600H
Penguin Cup Racing Series October 8, 15 and 22 at 1230H
JSCA Volunteer Appreciation & Racing Awards Dinner Oct. 22 at 1700H
Receding Daylight
As time sails further away from the 2023 Summer Solstice evenings are becoming shorter by a couple of minutes each day: tonight’s sunset is at 1859H. During fair weather the wind frequently shuts off abruptly within an hour of sunset. A good rule of thumb if you are in a wind fueled craft is: never sail further from Jericho within that hour than you are prepared to paddle back.
Jericho Sailing Centre School Partners
Jericho Sailing Centre’s school partners introduce thousands of people to ocean recreation each year. Surf over to their websites for information:
Jericho Beach Kayak Centre
Kayaking and Surf Ski lesson, rental and pass programs. JBK
Windsure Adventure Watersports
Windsurfing, Wing Surfing, Wing Foiling, SUP and skimboarding lesson, rental and pass programs. Windsure
MacSailing
Dinghy Sailing and Canoe lesson, rental and pass programs. MacSailing
Galley Patio and Grill
Hours of Operation (weather permitting):
Mondays through Saturdays 1130H-2000H
Weekends only after October 1
English Bay Safety Seminar
The English Bay Safety Seminar was developed for users of the Jericho Sailing Centre to help keep them safe at play while on the waters of English Bay. The seminar covers basic water safety fundamentals along with user specific information drawn from the logs of the Jericho Rescue Team who have intervened in thousands of “sea disasters” over the past 49+ years.
Why make your own mistakes when you can learn from the mistakes of others? Don’t challenge Darwin’s theory, make sure your water safety knowledge is the fittest it can be. Your survival may well depend upon it. Find the missing links and fill in the gaps in your water safety knowledge.
Sail the Slideshow on our Website
There be dragons here! Find out where not to go in Vancouver Harbour.
On the Water-Safety is Your Responsibility
On the ocean there are elements of risk that common sense and personal awareness can help reduce. Regardless of how you decide to use the ocean always show courtesy to others. Please adhere to the code listed below and share with others the responsibility for a safe ocean experience. It is every member’s responsibility to know and observe the rules of the road when on or near the water. Here are some key rules which every Jericho member must know and practice.
0.5 IT IS EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY TO AVOID A COLLISION
1. Always wear your P.F.D. on the water. PFD’s MUST be properly fitted.
2. Sail powered craft have the right of way over power craft, paddle and rowing powered craft.
3. All non-commercial vessels shall keep well clear of commercial vessels.
4. It is illegal and extremely dangerous to pass between a tug and it’s tow.
5. A port tack sailing vessel shall keep clear of a starboard tack vessel.
6. A windward vessel shall keep clear of a leeward vessel.
7. A vessel clear astern shall keep clear of a vessel ahead.
8. Any vessel overtaking another shall keep clear.
9. A vessel tacking or gybing shall keep clear of a vessel on a tack.
10. The area south of the orange can buoys is for training or transiting only.
11. Swimming or wading on the beach in front of the Centre is prohibited and is particularly dangerous for small children.
12. It is unsafe to loiter or let children play near the bottom of launching ramps.
13. Stay well clear of the end of the Jericho Pier as fishers cast lines as far as possible.
14. Be cautious of pathway traffic when launching/retrieving.
15. Do not leave your craft on the shoreline for extended periods of time.
16. Stay at least 50M clear of ships at anchor in Vancouver Harbour.
Common sense goes a long way toward maintaining a safe environment. Membership in the Jericho Sailing Centre Association is contingent on members knowing and observing the Safe Ocean Sailing rules. For more water safety info., tread water over to: English Bay Safety
Jericho Sailing Centre Etiquette
Common sense and consideration of fellow members help make the Jericho Sailing Centre a true community centre with a friendly salt water community atmosphere. Here are a few etiquette reminders to keep things sailing along smoothly:
- Do not leave your craft unattended on the shoreline for extended periods – share the shore.
- RAMPS, and the areas adjacent to launching ramps, are for craft launch/retrieval only. Do not rig, repair or otherwise loiter in this area.
- Do not leave or rig your craft in the rinsing areas adjacent to hosing stations.
- The Jericho Sailing Centre is a SMOKE/VAPE FREE facility. There is No Smoking/Vaping permitted in any Vancouver Park or beach area.
- Give pathway users the right of way and bear in mind they may be distracted and not aware that you are crossing the pathway with your craft or launch rope.
- Launch dollies are for launching/retrieval only (not for storage) and must be returned to the fence immediately after use.
- If you launch from your own dolly or trailer return it to your storage spot after launching.
- Do not use the winches unless you are familiar with their safe operation. Winch instruction is available from staff or Jericho Rescue Team members. Only members or registered guests may use winches & dollies.
- Only leashed, well behaved, non-barking/whining dogs are allowed in the compound, no dogs are allowed in the building or on the deck. Do not tie dogs to the base of stairwells or in other traffic areas. Do not leave your dog onshore while you are on the water. The City prohibits dogs on beaches. In consideration of other Jericho users please consider leaving your dog at home while visiting the Jericho Sailing Centre.
- Please flake hoses immediately after use and conserve water.
- Do not block aisle ways.
- Rinse racks are for rinsing not drying.
- Swimming is prohibited in front of the Jericho Sailing Centre.