Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - As the weather turns warmer, some recreational vessels seek moorage at Cortes Island docks for periods of between one and six months. This is called long-term-moorage. On Wednesday, May 3, the Harbour Authority of Cortes Island (HACI) issued a press release stating that their docks in Whaletown and Cortes Bay are now full for long-term-moorage this summer. 

“When we're talking about long-term recreational moorage, we're just talking about individuals who are looking to moor a boat and not live on it,” explained Harbourmaster Jenny Hartwick

“At this point in time, both the Squirrel Cove and Mansons docks still have some long-term recreational moorage placements available  and those are available on a first come, first serve basis until they are full.”

CC: So this does not apply to boats coming in for the afternoon, or a few days. 

“For a community user that wants to come in for the afternoon, from their boat-access-only property, or a commercial user who's using the dock for work on a regular basis, absolutely. We are only talking about recreational long-term moorage.”

“We have had to do this because we have received such a huge request for individuals looking for one month, three month or six month long-term moorage for their recreational vessels. We've had to look at the actual physical capacity of our docks, and what they can handle.” 

“I'd also like to remind the community that rafting is a requirement on all of our docks.”

“This means that vessels are already being rafted two deep and this policy was put in place to  prevent what we saw as potential safety issues of vessels coming into our more popular docks and in some cases rafting four, even five vessels deep down the entire length of the dock.”

“I think the first thing to reiterate is that the government docks on Cortes are all docks that are owned under the Small Craft Harbours program of the federal government. Under this program,  the Harbour Authority of Cortes Island operates these docks through an arm’s length lease agreement, but we are required to meet Small Craft Harbour's mandate as part of this lease agreement. Small Craft Harbour's primary mandate is to support the commercial fishing industry in BC and to support the infrastructure associated with the commercial fishing industry.”

“We recognize that we are an island and we have all sorts of short-term moorage needs.  People with boat access only properties, and there are a huge variety of other community uses for our docks.” 

“This policy of limiting long-term recreational moorage is to help us manage the increased requests for moorage that we've experienced over the past couple of years, while still ensuring that we have space available for those mandated commercial uses, but also the community island needs.”

Image credit: Boater by Larry Wentzel via Flickr (CC BY SA, 2.0 License)

Cortes Currents

Long term moorage in Whaletown and Cortes Bay fully booked for the summer

Manda Aufochs Gillespie/Folk U - On June 7, host Manda Aufochs-Gillespie was joined by Jenny Hartwick from the Harbour Authority of Cortes Island to chat challenges, changes, and upcoming happenings on our island’s public docks.

Folk U

Harbour Authority Visits Folk U

Manda Aufochs Gillespie/ Folk U - On June 7, host Manda Aufochs-Gillespie was joined by Jenny Hartwick from the Harbour Authority of Cortes Island to chat challenges, changes, and upcoming happenings on our island’s public docks.

Folk U Radio is taking old school viral every Friday at 1 and Mondays at 6:30 p.m./Wednesday at 6 a.m. @CKTZ89.5FM or livestreamed at cortesradio.ca. Find repeats anytime at www.folku.ca/podcasts.

Roy L Hales/Cortes Currents - Harbour Authority Cortes Island is asking the public to not use its upper Gorge Harbour parking lot or park at the Whaletown Commercial Dockhead until further notice. There is work underway at both locations.  

"A few years ago the Harbour Authority entered into a lease agreement with MOTI, the Ministry of Transportation, and we actually hold the road allowance leases for the lower part of Robertson Road. We  did some clearing,  graveled and then developed a parking lot," explained Harbourmaster Jenny Hartwick.

"There is a second area that is leased by the Harbor Authority,  immediately adjacent to  the BC Hydro's yard.  Recognizing that there is very serious congestion and a real lack of parking for the commercial users that use the Gorge Dock, the Harbor Authority is moving ahead with some plans to clear and develop the parking area adjacent to  the hydro yard. We hope to make several more parking spaces available that we'll be able to offer to our mortgage agreement holders and commercial users."

Cortes Currents: Is the dock closed? 

Jenny Hartwick: "The Gorge commercial dock is open.  It's commercial use only at that particular dock.  We don't take recreational users there. The dock is full to the brim with our regular commercial users." 

Cortes Currents: When does the work in the upper parking lot begin and how long will it last?

Jenny Harwick: "It sounds like the contractors will be in at the beginning of next week to clear the upper lots. So at this point in time, the request is simply that individuals who have left vehicles, boats, boat trailers, anything that's being stored in the current parking areas at the Gorge Commercial Dock find alternate areas to leave their vehicles while this project is happening. Contractors need access to the space. There will be heavy machinery operating in that area."

"We don't expect it to take a significant amount of time, but we do have material and there are some things which need to be shuffled from the new lot, which is being cleared, into the lower lot for a temporary time while these upgrades happen."

"Once the upgrades are complete, we'll be reaching out to the community with phase two of the parking plan and that will start to address the allocation of spots for the commercial users." 

Cortes Currents: What’s happening at the Whaletown dock?

Jenny Hartwick: "The Whaletown Commercial dock wharfhead is, until further notice, closed to all vehicle traffic. There are some substructure issues which we need to address.  None of which are debilitating, but they do need to be addressed before in good conscience we can allow vehicle traffic on to that facility again. The dock does remain open. There's no absolutely 0 concerns in terms of accessing that facility by foot."

"We will be building a barricade.  We are trying to source a dolly or a wheelbarrow for those individuals who do need to be transporting larger amounts of material. So the dock and the wharf head do remain open to foot traffic. You can bicycle, you can do everything you want on the dock. We just ask that you do not bring a vehicle onto the wharf head at this time." 

"The community may or may not know that   the whale town commercial dock is not one of the small craft harbors owned facilities on the island.  It was an old transport Canada dock, which was divested to the harbor authority in the late 2000s."

"When the dock was divested to the harbor authority, it was brought up to good standards and has been maintained at that level for a number of years. However 20 plus years have gone by and there are some structural elements, which need to be addressed."

"We just had a phenomenal structural survey done. The structure of the dock does look good, but there are a few maintenance concerns."

HACI: Parking Restrictions While Work Underway At Gorge & Whaletown Docks

Roy L Hales. Cortes Currents - Moorage for recreational boats is even more limited on Cortes Island this year and vessels intending to stay more than 3 nights must make prior arrangements with the Harbour Authority Cortes Island. In addition, Small Craft Harbours regulations for using winches have changed. The manual winches at Mansons Landing and Whaletown have been decommissioned. The winch at the Squirrel Cove dock is available for commercial users who make prior arrangements through the Harbour Authority. The general public is no longer allowed access except through certified staff provided by the Harbour Authority.    

“Over the last few years, we have seen a drastic increase in the number of requests for moorage spaces.  We are Small Craft Harbors owned facilities and so we are mandated to provide priority mortgage to commercial fishing vessels, aquaculture and then other commercial vessels. If there is space available after those priority needs have been met, we offer it to the community,” explained Harbourmaster Jenny Hartwick.

“There's more and more applicants for the limited  number of spaces that we have available for recreational moorage at every one of the docs. And so we just want to remind users that if you are looking for  anything over 3 nights mortgage at 1 of our docs, you must apply in advance and you must have a signed and approved moorage agreement in place.”

“Several of the docks on Cortez are now full for the summer season. We are no longer taking mortgage requests for the Whaletown Dock or the Cortes Bay Dock. We do have some long term recreational spots available still at Mansons and at Squirrel Cove, but again, as the season progresses, those spaces do fill up. So please reach out to the Harbour Authority and ensure the documentation is in place prior to bringing your vessel to the dock.” 

“Small Craft Harbours recently changed their requirements for winch usage.”

“We have removed the manual derricks at the Mansons and Whaletown docks. At this point in time, those winches have been decommissioned. They are owned by Small Craft Harbours. We're waiting to hear what their plan is for those pieces of infrastructure.”

“In order to access the winches or the derricks on the Squirrel Cove dock, you now need to be a commercial user and provide proof of WCB coverage  as well as sign a winch user agreement with the Harbour Authority. The winch is no longer available for drop-in public use without first contacting the Harbor Authority. We can still arrange that we do have certified trained staff who will come down and have to be on site if the winch is being operated by a non-commercial user. Please reach out to the Harbour Authority. We can facilitate that.”

HACI: Recreational Moorage and Winch usage on Cortes Island

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - There were 45 people on the Whaletown dock when Cortes Currents left half way through the Open House on Monday, September 16. Some were listening to Andy Ellingsen, a Director of Harbour Authority Cortes Island (HACI), talk about the current condition of the wharf and what needs to be done. Others gathered in small groups, eating the free pizza, sharing memories or their perspectives on the matter. HACI has owned the 110-year-old structure since 2009 and now it is in need of extensive repairs.

Corttes Currents

Open House at the Whaletown Dock; Renovation Needed

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Harbour Authority Cortes Island (HACI) received the necessary funding to carry out needed upgrades to the 111-year-old dock in Whaletown. In today’s article Harbour Master Jenny Hartwick gives the details, and also talks about the upcoming August 30 dock swap. 

Funding For The Whaletown Dock's Coming Facelift, & Aug 30 Dockswap

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