Letter sent today by the CBRA’s chair, Eric Dahli, to District of Oak Bay
February 19, 2017
District of Oak Bay
2167 Oak Bay Avenue
Victoria BC, V8R 1G2Attention: Mayor and Council
Dear Mayor and Council:
Re: Boats Beached and Abandoned on Cadboro Bay Beach
Further to my letter of February 9, 2017, to which we have not received a
reply, the Cadboro Bay Residents’ Association completed an inventory of the
16 beached and abandoned boats on the Oak Bay portion the Cadboro Bay Beach.
All 16 boats are located at or near GPS location 48.457N – 123.298W
- 8’ Fibreglass Dingy
- 8’ Fibreglass Dingy with wheels
- 10’ Fibreglass Skiff (in bushes above the high water mark)
- 8’ Fibreglass Skiff
- 23’ Sailboat “Shaman”. Interior destroyed, aluminum mast partially
- buried in sand.
- Remains of Ferro cement hull, approximately 15’ visible. Total size
- unknown. Located behind boat #5
- Deck of sailboat exposed. May be deck parts only or another buried
- sailboat.
- 25’ Sailboat “Debate” from Vancouver. Filled with junk, oil containers,
- various materials floating in unidentified liquids with a petroleum-like
- sheen.
- 10’ glass Skiff under driftwood and garbage partly above the high water
- mark
- 24’ Sailboat “Sunshine” “RVYC” Hull # BLBE46B50380-0. Interior
- destroyed, possible contamination by oil and other liquids from unidentified containers.
- 15’ canoe “Mirage”. Green color. Bear Creek brand – 1/3 filled with
- sand.
- Three 8’foot fibreglass skiffs above the high water mark.
- 36’ x 12’ steel hull. Evidence of a superstructure fire. Two inboard/outboard motors and gas tanks (unable to open) Full of junk and driftwood.
- “Cal 20” “Pura Vida”. Interior destroyed.
- Non-descript keel.
- 12’ Fibreglass sailing dingy.
Photographs of these abandoned boats are attached. While we were surprised at the number of boats, we were not surprised at the level of pollution in some of the boats including oil containers, paint cans and gas tanks. Next to some of the boats there is also evidence of beach fires.
Again we respectfully request Oak Bay Mayor and Council to take the following courses of action:
- To take immediate steps to have abandoned derelict boats removed from the Oak Bay portions of Cadboro Bay beach via the most expeditious and effective means available.
- To commit pursuing the issues of wrecked boats in Cadboro Bay through the Federal Received of Wreck, and ask the Province for whatever additional funding will be required to do so.
- To assess the existing wreckage to confirm our discovery of environmental hazards.
We look forward to hearing from you in this regard.
Respectfully yours,
Eric Dahli, Chair
Cadboro Bay Residents’ Association
Cc: Andrew Weaver, MLA
Oak Bay Residents’ Association
Saanich Community Association Network
Royal Victoria Yacht Club
See the photos online.
