South Bruce Peninsular - Sea-doo Madness - Comments

Ah ... now it makes sense ...

garym — Wed, 20 Jul 2005 13:53:24 -0400

With today's discussion over the Blue Flag, now I see how Toronto justifies the expense: In a province of glorious beaches along countless pristine lakes from Pele to James Bay, Kingston to Kenora, it seems only Toronto is full-figured enough to qualify in the Blue Flag Beach Pageant. Go figure ... but don't go too far north of Queen's Park to do it.

And in related news, as to the dogs, sea-doos and barbeques right at the downtown beach most people packed core, we actually asked about it at the by-law office and sure enough, all those rules protecting our beach from all such things only apply north of 1st Street. From Dobson's south to the shores of Saugeen land, it's basically a free for all. Good or bad, better or worse, it's good to know.

garym: ict evangelist - musician - whatever

a question

bub — Wed, 06 Jul 2005 23:53:56 -0400

I have noticed that there have been for many years private sailboats parked at the base of the dunes on public land, obviously owned by lakeshore people..(could robbie be one of em?)now...isnt it fair that THEY pay the daily rental that people pay to park the cars?? hmmmm....I wonder..

All fun and games until ...

garym — Wed, 06 Jul 2005 12:00:15 -0400

Last Friday, while out tallying the lost dog-fine revenues ;) I watched a SeaDolt cut diagonally through the swimmers on his way back to the rental location by the Sauble sign. Sure, he slowed so his wake would only topple little children, but what happens the day he runs over some kid who's just surfacing after a swim along the sandy bottom?

I'll tell you what: It's a Lawyers' Festival

Two weekends back, May and I took the family for a picnic along my old stomping grounds along the eastern shoreline Kew Beach Park in Toronto

Kew was largely an abandoned beach when I last walked the Boardwalk back in 1981. There were a few power-walkers, babies in strollers and the odd cyclist, but it wasn't what you'd call a real busy beach so it wasn't surprising that the life-guard towers were bare skeletons of a former glory against the shoreline vista.

But this trip, what's that? Life guards? By golly, yes, not every station, but enough for coverage and this is on a beach that's more fun for geese and ducks than for tourists to wade out, yet there they are, life-guards!

How on Earth is this possible? Who could justify that expense?

Once we got closer, we got a whiff of an answer: The Canvas cover of the lifeguard tower and the whole backside of it is plastered with sponsor logos. Rogers Cellular, a bank, all the usual suspects.

We keep talking of the dangers of water quality (despite Walkerton having happened despite centralized water treatment systems) and there's the moans of woe of what would become of our beach should someone get sick ... yet no similar concern should someone get hit by a sea-doo, burned by a barbeque or bit by a dog?

garym: ict evangelist - musician - whatever

You read my mind

bub — Wed, 06 Jul 2005 01:05:05 -0400

Sabrinus, it's amazing, while I wasnt around this past weekend, I was enjoying some quiet time at the beach for 5 hours the week before,near sixth street, and I witnessed the exact same thing.I have seen this for years now, and not once have I seen anyone apprehended.There are rules about speeds and wakes from all watercraft, and to all you people who choose to partake in sea-dooing, please use your common sense.You go offshore to do your hobby, as far as possible.No swimmer will be injured, and you will still have your fun.(If you do it for people to see you, take up a new hobby learn to play the drums, and get onstage in front of a crowd.)When you find it necessary to come ashore, you slowly idle your craft into where you can shut it off and stand up in the water and pull your craft in by the rope.
I think what is needed is not only stricter enforcement , but also stricter rules on rentals.
I find it very odd that there is NO OPP sea doo patrols.A few years back, a friend of mine who is an officer with the Peel Region Police, and a part of the Dare anti drug program, brought up his dare program sea-doos and we slowly cruised around..and with the words police written on the sides, it was amazing how people suddenly slowed down.
Oh wait...sorry..forget about that..lets do more important things like charge for parking and get a pipeline built.Heck..you know..the waterslide park would make a great site for a convention centre...

Sea-doo Madness

sabrinus — Tue, 05 Jul 2005 10:25:21 -0400

Was anyone else watching the sea-doos on the long weekend? Several IDIOTS were racing, towing water skiiers and hot-dogging a mere 50 metres from the waters' edge! Back and forth for hours, weaving around bathers! Flying into shallow waters at full speed. What lunacy! Dogs, open liquour, reckless sea-dooers...where are our intrepid bylaw people? Where are the OPP, who used to patrol the beach on ATV and why are they not out in the water patrolling and stopping bad boating behaviour? It was a bloody free-for-all this past long weekend.

No enforcement equals a growing problem that may well result in a severe injury to an innocent party.

And when someone is hurt, I will volunteer my observations as a witness against the town of SBP for their lack of interest in enforcing these bad behaviours. As will others, no doubt.

Maybe SBP could spend a little of the heaps of $$$ they are making on the ill-conceived parking cash-grab on making our beaches and waters safer for our children? Or is that too radical an idea for the dunderheads in council? OR have they already earmarked their ill-gotten parking fee gains to once again hire a pedophile lawyer to lobby for (ig)Noble's pet Pipeline?

One wonders....