21 replies to this topic

[amor de cosmos]

Capital Regional District seeks input on future of waterways
Sandra McCulloch / Times Colonist
August 12, 2013

The Capital Regional District wants to know how you use Victoria’s harbours and waterways, and how, or if, you’d like to see them change in the future.

The public input will help the CRD with its Harbours Environmental Action Program, which is part of the regional plan, said Jody Watson, CRD harbours and watersheds co-ordinator.

A survey asks people how they use the harbours and how often, said Watson.

“Is it recreational paddling, is it walkways around the harbour that draw people to it, or is it that they have a business and work on the harbour?” she said. “It’s those sort of use questions, and then we ask what they value about the harbours.”

The CRD works in partnership with five federal departments and the provincial government on the water quality of Victoria Harbour, Gorge Waterway, Portage Inlet, Esquimalt Lagoon and Esquimalt Harbour.

Respondents can provide feedback on each of the five harbours, or only one or two. The natural environment may be an attraction, or walkways that allow them to walk along the shore, Watson said.

http://www.timescolo...erways-1.579785

[kenjh]

that was fun ..somwhat limited ...and narrow ..but worthwhile

[Mike K.]

Here's more info from the CRD:

Victoria, BC- The Capital Regional District (CRD) Harbours Environmental Action Program is working to develop water quality guidelines for the five core harbour areas. As part of that project, the CRD is consulting with the public on a community vision for our core area harbours: Victoria Harbour, Gorge Waterway, Portage Inlet, Esquimalt Lagoon and Esquimalt Harbour.
Working with community partners, an online survey has been developed to seek input regarding how people throughout the region use the harbours, what they value and any feedback they have. The survey is available at: www.crd.bc.ca/harboursurvey until September 20, 2013. Paper copies of the survey are also available at the CRD office at 625 Fisgard Street.
After the results are collated in the fall of 2013, there will be public open house sessions or workshops where the survey results will be presented and next steps explored. The map (attached) indicates the boundaries of the harbours in question.

Survey at: www.crd.bc.ca/harboursurvey
Map PDF: http://crd.bc.ca/med...MapOverview.pdf

[kenjh]

problem with this survey ,,if you know the waterway's at all ..it is a one size fit's all ...and you know ti won't ...more mismangaement buy the CRd..

[patrick venton]

most waterway concerns are about the Gorge/inner harbour. When BC Forest went away , the Gorge lost its worst mess... Earlier in the 1920/30 era, human sewage was the problem, thats gone away..... The innerharbour and outerwarf, Bapco Paint, has long gone... That cured another mess. The Victoria waste warf, has long gone.... All of the harbour contamination by industry has disappeared. The only thing left is the fact that the entire area is a back water/back eddy that doesnt do a good job at diluting and flushing itself... It has long been mentioned, to no avail, that the opening of the Gorge at the othe end to the ocean would probably cure all. The little nit picking things that I hear about wont change the eco system to a better degree. The CRD is lacking in forsight not going after the opening of the Gorge... But what else is new... about mismanagement that is...

[kenjh]

again..if you don't see it...it does not exist ..the bottom of the harbors are all covered in all kinds of trash , ,,,we have removed industry to bring in tourisum ...a poor chioce I think..but that is another debate ..the waterways need individual attention ..esquimalt is diffarent from Victoria's the gorge will never again be a working waterway ..kyakers have diffrent safety issues the ..the Coho ...and let's honest ..the CRD has not shown itselfe as understanding the needs of muiltipul issues ...do we put in more launch sites for boaters ..or take them to one place to charge them for the privilage of useing the waterway ,,the liveabords ,,,chase them out or require better sanitation on the boats ..do we dig up the waterways to remove the crud on the bottom or seal it ,,,,just wondering if they have a plan or just diverting the issue with one more survey ??

[eseedhouse]

The CRD is lacking in forsight not going after the opening of the Gorge.

There is no place you can "open" the Gorge unless you somehow think Portage Inlet is part of it. The shortest path from the Inlet starts just West of Shorline School and is nearly half a kilometer to Thetis Cove, involving digging up the E&N railway tracks and destroying a park, not to mention moving a housing development and disrupting traffic along the Old Island Highway for an extended period.

There is already considerable tidal movement twice each day as you would know if you've ever stood under the Tillicum bridge at turn of the tide. Two or three creeks empty into the inlet and provide further water movement through the Gorge to the sea. Especially after a heavy rain.

Victoria is spending thirty million bucks to build a hundred meter bridge and you want to dig a half kilometer long canal - got a cost estimate? Got a study of the effects on the local ecology (part of which I inhabit) to hand? Think View Royal, a town of it's own, would grant permission? Do you know what the meeting of two tidal flows separated in time would do to Esquimalt inlet? Or the inner Harbour?

And do you know the elevation difference between sea level at Thetis inlet to sea level at Victoria Harbour is? Hint: SEA LEVEL!!!

[VicHockeyFan]

House(?) at Esquimalt Lagoon.

[VicHockeyFan]

Anybody know if there is any speed limit or powerboat restriction on the highest part of the Gorge? Portage Inlet?

I think a guy could set up a decent water ski operation there.

[Rob Randall]

I'm guessing 10 k/ph?

https://www.tc.gc.ca...ESSIBLE_PDF.pdf

[Bingo]

Once you are inside an extension of the breakwater the speed limit is between 7 knots and 5 knots.

 

 

The following regulations are administered by Transport Canada and strictly enforced by the Harbour Master and the Harbour Patrol.

• No sailing or anchoring is permitted within the harbour
• Speed cannot exceed 5 knots in the Inner and Middle Harbour
• Speed cannot exceed 7 knots in the Outer Harbour
• Vessel must leave a minimum wash
• http://www.gvha.ca/m...our-regulations

 

[Sparky]

Portage Inlet is very deceiving. It looks big and useable but it is VERY shallow ESPECIALLY at low tide. It is not uncommon to be able to touch your oar on the bottom.

[VicHockeyFan]

Hmm, OK.  Back to the original plan then.  Trike rental.  The great thing is these can make it through the reversing falls at Tillicum too.  Plus you are far enough out of the water you can peek in at the Harbour Air passengers too, as you race the planes in and out of the harbour.

 

[VicHockeyFan]

Once you are inside an extension of the breakwater the speed limit is between 7 knots and 5 knots.

 

Do the dragon boats go that slow?  Or do they get an exemption?  What about other team rowing vessels?

[Bingo]

Do the dragon boats go that slow?  Or do they get an exemption?  What about other team rowing vessels?

 

Do you know what the maximum width is for a vessel wanting to go under the Selkirk Trestle?

I am thinking of buying four houseboats and joining them together once I am through the trestle.

That should give me about 7000 sq.ft. of living space.

[Victoria Watcher]

There is a new boat-share coming in 2023:

 

https://www.clubyolo.ca/rates

 

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 10 February 2023 - 02:55 PM.

[Matt R.]

This is a great way to try out your ferry / airline / zipline concept.

[Matt R.]

Spotted in the Trincomali channel today, this is the Shofu Maru, built in 2022. Apparently the sail yields a 5-8% fuel savings depending on route.



Photo by George Mearce on Salty.

Edited by Matt R., 12 February 2023 - 10:24 PM.

[JohnsonStBridge]

Nothing like transporting coal with partial wind power.

[Matt R.]

I have read in relation to this story that there is propellor technology coming that will reduce fuel consumption and noise by 30%.