High tides, downpours, and Squamish outflows have arrived in Mannion Bay, putting the Municipality and Cormorant Marine to work dealing with un-moored boats and those that appear at risk of becoming un-moored. In the past week and a half, the municipality has dealt with five of these situations, but Bonny Brokenshire, Manager of Parks and Environment, says it is getting easier to deal with the situation.
Brokenshire points to one situation this week which could have been environmentally damaging, but in the end was resolved by the boat owner coming forward and taking responsibility.
“This power boat had been tied up at the Government dock, and then was seen tied to a mooring buoy in the bay,” says Brokenshire. “On Tuesday morning it came loose and ended up beached. In that process, the hull was damaged so when the tide came up, it sank.”
Brokenshire says the Coast Guard was called to deal with a potential fuel spill, but Cormorant Marine was “on it” and towed the boat into the USSC Marina right away. They pulled the boat out of the water before any fuel leaked.
“The owner came forward to claim the boat,” says Brokenshire. “Which means, unfortunately for him, that not only has he lost his new $20,000 boat, he will also be paying at least $5,000 for the boat’s recovery.”
She says the Mannion Bay revitalization strategy has helped connect the Municipality with most of the people who keep their boats in the Bay.
“We know their names and can contact them,” says Brokenshire. “We are building relationships with boat owners and this makes a big difference. Most people really do want to do the right thing.”
Brokenshire adds that the enforcement mechanisms that are part of the Mannion Bay plan will come into effect in January, which means that in theory, the municipality can be assured of the fact that the boats there are insured.
So far this season, the Municipality has spent $11,000 on mitigating the environmental impacts of boats in the Bay. Bowen Island Municipality is recommending that vessel owners remove their boats from Mannion Bay for the remainder of the winter season.
Brokenshire hopes that some money will become available through the federal Ocean Protection Plan to help cover future costs.
