Introducing the South Coast Ship Watch Alliance

It’s time to introduce the South Coast Ship Watch Alliance. For several years now, Environmentalists and residents of Cowichan Bay, Ladysmith, Saltair and the Southern Gulf islands have been sounding the alarm about bulk freighters anchoring in local waterways. In community after community, independent volunteer groups have been created in response to an increasing onslaught of commercial cargo ships spilling …

Who gets free parking anymore?

Did you know that giant cargo ships park can park for free among BC’s Southern Gulf Islands? It’s true. You may have to pay an arm and a leg to leave your car while you go visit someone in hospital or take in a movie, but a 250 metre, 100,000 tonne bulk cargo freighter can park alongside just about any …

Restrictions for kayakers, but not for huge freighters?

In May of 2019, the federal government announced a number of measures to address threats to the critically endangered Southern Resident Killer Whale population. Among them was the creation of Interim Sanctuary Zones in three key foraging areas, off Pender Island, Saturna Island and a third at Swiftsure Bank on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. In addition to fishery …