PaBIA's eBlast June 3, 2020

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Volume 12 No. 12

Greetings!

We hope each and every one of you is safe and healthy. We understand the weather is improving up north...and that spring has sprung. These geese eggs were noticed on the outer islands in mid May...and thank Trudy Irvine for capturing pictures of them!

And Livia Hunter sent this pictures in of a family of geese...so yes, spring has come to Pointe au Baril.

There is also a sighting of a young bald eagle, though less than 5 years old, because its head hasn't as of yet turned white!! Thanks again Trudy!

Also, be sure to check the PaBIA Bulletin Board for any notice from another member that might be of help to you!

In this eBlast:

PaBIA COVID 19 Changes to Summer Events
PaBIA Markers All in Place
PaBIA Sailing This Summer
A Huge Thank you
Pictures by Trudy Irvine and Livia Hunter
GBF Video Link to "What's Up with Water Levels"
What Is This?
Watch and Learn - - Reasons for Concern?
GBF Microfibre Webinar June 4
TOA Large Item Pickup Day - June 20
Lake Michigan-Huron Water Levels May 29, 2020
Calendar Updates
Yearbook Ad Correction - Rock Solid Services
Yearbook Update May

Changes Abound -

PaBIA’s Board met these past few weeks and have made some very difficult decisions, but ones that keep us compliant with the Ontario Government’s laws relating to the need for physical distancing and small groups of not more than 5. Unfortunately, that relates to a great many programs of which PaBIA is involved – gathering people together to learn, grow and play as a community.

So that means that even with PaBIA’s long history of providing for both the Junior and Senior Regattas, these events are being cancelled since we couldn’t figure out how to hold them and ask folks to stay 2 metres (6 ft.) from the friends they haven’t seen since last summer! This also holds for the Triathlon, the Community Picnics and Fishing Derby.

The Naturalist programs have been put on hold – to see whether we can work out an online version of the programs – perhaps a video that could be shared on the subjects of birding and wildfires (2020 Naturalist themes) or subjects of interest to many of us. So stay tuned!

We also will not be holding our annual pancake breakfast and AGM in the middle of summer. Rather, we are postponing it until a date yet to be determined in September. We considered using Zoom over the August long weekend to allow folks to conference in, but in the middle of the summer, with the bandwidth in the islands less than adequate when everyone is vacationing at their cottages, we felt that not an option…so a Zoom call in September where everyone can sign on from the city was thought to be the best alternative, when we are not using our cottage wifis.

Our Marine Patrol will be fully functioning and the markers are all but in - so we have covered the most important aspect of the summer - the safety for all our members on the waterways.

Please stay tuned as the summer progresses and we will update the calendars and notify you via the eBlasts should the laws relax. If the Ontario government does lift restrictions (not a guarantee by any means), PaBIA will do all it can to both honour the law and provide worthwhile events.

ARE WE RACING THIS SUMMER??

At this time, all organized events in Ontario involving 5 or more participants are prohibited, which includes our weekly sailboat races. The regulation is set to expire on June 21 but may be extended or modified. We are watching this carefully and staying in touch with Sail Ontario, with the goal of having at least modified weekly races all beginning on Saturdays at 2 p.m. Our race committee and safety boat teams are ready to go if we are allowed to hold races.

Unfortunately, our weekly Rendezvous’ events must be canceled for the summer. Thank you to the families who agreed to host events this summer – we hope that you will be available in 2021!

We will update you as soon as we have further information. If we are not able to have weekly races, some of us would like to have a weekly recreational long distance sail starting each Saturday at 1 pm in Ojibway Bay (weather depending). Possible trips include out to the McCoy Islands, down to the Twin Sisters and out in the open around to the Lighthouse.

A HUGE Thank You!

In early May, the Provincial government, in adherence to the COVID 19 laws for social distancing, wasn’t going to allow marinas to operate which would have meant that islanders would not have been able to get to their cottages, and the marinas would have endured financial hardships. But with the help of those went to bat for both the marinas and the cottagers, the provincial laws were amended to allow for the marinas to open up, the workers to work, and the cottagers to get to their cottages.

This amendment was due to the hard work of many who went to bat both for the marinas and the taxpaying cottagers. Boating Ontario, made up of marina operators, took a plan to Norm Miller, MPP (member of the Provincial parliament), to open up while abiding by the COVID 19 rules. Our Councillors articulated effectively the double standard that had been in effect for road and water access cottagers and developed support to eliminate the two sets of rules for cottage access within our community. Through Council and Norm Miller, resolutions were developed to allow the marinas to stage their business in anticipation of water access residents accessing their properties.

PaBIA is very grateful to all who provided guidance and planning to allow us return to our beloved island paradise! Please take the time to thank Andy, Tonia, Matt, and Mark, Marina Operators, Scott and Earl, our TOA Councillors, as well as the TOA Council and Norm Miller, our MPP from Parry Sound, for their efforts on our behalf! A Win-Win for all!

Latest Updated Calendars for

July ( 5/30) and August (NEW 5/30)

The Changes are Significant...

Of Interest

What Is This?

What is the name of this 80’s neon inspired wildflower? What could that strange creature that looks like a moth/hummingbird hybrid feeding on your potted plants on the deck possibly BE?

Satisfy your curiosity, impress your friends and loved ones with your knowledge, and add to a valuable bank of bio data by downloading a nature app for your phone. By snapping a photo with your phone’s camera and entering it into a free app like iNaturalist , you can identify species you are unsure about, learn more about the wildlife of an area, and connect with other nature lovers.

See this article in the GBLT ’s 2020 Landscript for more details:

BAY NEWS

Current State:

“Not Business as Usual” –

May 2020

Here are aspects of cottage life in these extraordinary times that must be considered before returning to our cottages. We must develop a personal risk assessment and to do so, we need to weigh facts in our decision-making. It is not ‘business as usual’.

Here are the topics in the BAY NEWS that you may wish to read in depth. ..which can be done by emailing Scott or Earl to request to be put on their direct mailing list.

Healthcare Support
Commercial Services
Municipal Services
On the Water – our ratepayer and club boards, community institutions and organizations

And this is the final topic in full:

Cottage Risk Assessment in COVID-19 -

Can you answer these Q's?

What could possibly happen?

However unlikely, should you or a family member require emergency response and medical treatment, please consider the following:

Restricted access to WPSHC,
Serious health issue will likely land you in out of area hospitals, e.g. Sudbury or North Bay,
Lock-down of hospitals prevent access by family members,
Possible limitations in nursing station operation for those that require medications administered by nurse practitioner,
Reduced OPP marine unit operations,
Potential limitation on Coast Guard operations.

Are you able?

Self-manage first aid and medical situations?
Maintain good health without medical support?
Self-manage medical emergencies?
Apply first aid training and utilize proper medical emergency kits?
Navigate confidently at night as well as daytime?
Carry your own trash to transfer station?
Haul your own gear?
Adhere to social gathering restrictions?

Watch and Learn - - Reasons for Concern?

In PaBIA’s last eBlast, we hope you read about the Environment Committee’s new initiative regarding septic systems and the voluntary assessment program being offered by North Shore Barge.

Old, damaged or under performing septic systems could have a very negative impact on our water quality, especially with the record high water levels and storm surges we are experiencing. Your Education Committee has some very interesting information to share on this topic from an expert named Rick Esselment.

Rick is the President and Founder of ESSE Canada, a water resource management firm providing warranty, operation, maintenance, inspection and management services for drinking water and wastewater treatment clients in Ontario and Nova Scotia. He is a Past President of Ontario Onsite Wastewater Association (OOWA) and a certified public health inspector. Rick presented at the GBF/GBA H2O Water Conference last October 2019 and was extremely well received and highly rated by the audience that day. We thank GBF for sharing this link with us!!

Listen to Rick, an excellent speaker, as he explains the first principles of wastewater treatment, private septic system statistics, re-inspection programs and their results and considerations for Georgian Bay cottagers all with humour and clarity! It’s 30 minutes well spent!

VIDEO Now Available for Water Levels:

What's Going on?

If you missed Georgian Bay Forever's 1-hour webinar by David Sweetnam on What's Going on with Water Levels , enjoy it in your own time with a wifi-enabled environment. There are so many factors that drive water levels and extreme variability. In this widely-praised webinar, David Sweetnam, GBF's Executive Director, provides an overview that breaks down those many and complex factors.

Upcoming Events

TOA Large Item Pick Up Day for Boat Access ONLY Customers

Saturday, June 20th, 2020 -

9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Large trucks require access to the dock in order to facilitate the placement and removal of waste bins. The movement of additional vehicles at the dockside presents a safety hazard to staff and the public. Large item days at the Pointe au Baril Wharf are therefore intended for those arriving by boat only .

Road access residents are reminded that they can drop off their large items at the Site 9 Landfill on any of the scheduled Large Item dates. There will be no tipping fee on Large Item Disposal days only.

GBF Webinar on Microfiber Plastic Pollution

There will be a NEW Georgian Bay Forever (GBF) 1 HR. WEBINAR. Water pollution comes from tiny fibers in your clothes.

Discover research and solutions to change that.

Water pollution comes from tiny fibers in your clothes. Discover research & solutions to change that. Presented by Georgian Bay Forever.

Thursday, June 4, at 2:00 pm EDT

How to register: Click on one of these bitly urls of a date and time that works for you, or copy the bitly url and put it in your browser. If you are still having trouble, email [email protected] to help.

About the 3 speakers

Lakes Michigan/Huron Water Levels May 29, 2020

To better read the charts, please click on the chart for the

Daily or Six Month Forecast Water level chart and the corresponding websites

Yearbook Update

With each eBlast, we will provide you a list of names for those who provided updated information. The details of all the changes since the Yearbook's came out in April is provided in a printable format for you to print out and insert into your own Yearbook copy!

Doug & Helen Bryce ( address change)