Looking for something to do the July 15 and 16 weekend? Look no more!
Rand Rudland, president of the Sargeant Bay Society (SBS) invites you to their Low Tide Beach Exploration event at Sargeant Bay Provincial Park on June 15 from 10:30 to 12:30 p.m. What a great opportunity to learn about the varied marine life living in the intertidal zone just under the surface of the water! Bring chairs, water shoes, buckets and shovels (some will be available from the SBS). And your curiosity!
Biologist Lee-Ann Ennis of BC Conservation Foundation’s Vital Kelp Project and other volunteers will be present to talk about what has been put into the observation tanks from the intertidal area. Afterwards, all will be released back to the bay.
This annual event began over 20 years ago by the SBS then-president Joop Bergerjon. Participants used a drag net to scoop up marine life, which was put in aquarium tanks to observe. In the early years, there seemed to be more eelgrass (which provides a home and food for a variety of organisms); because of this, the catch was quite varied. The SBS carried on the event with wet tanks to display intertidal fish, nudibranchs (a type of sea slug), sea stars, shrimps, etc.
Rand gave me an update on the status of the park’s fish ladder, which has deteriorated from flooding, not just from heavy rains but from some very industrious beaver dam building. In October 2021, BC Parks undertook extensive repairs including a bypass culvert. However, the ladder needs to be replaced, at a cost of $80,000 $100,000. Currently, the SBS is in receipt of $18,000 from the Pacific Salmon Foundation, $5,000 from an SCRD Grant-in-Aid and $5,000 from the SBS. The balance of funding is expected to come from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. It is anticipated that the ladder replacement will be manufactured over the winter and installed next summer.
On July 16, at Coopers Green Park, the 55th Halfmoon Bay Fair, organized by the Halfmoon Bay Community Association and presented by 91.7 Coast FM, kicks off at 9 a.m. with a pancake breakfast by the Sunshine Coast Healthcare Auxiliary. MC Keith VanBrabant (Keith on the Coast!) will officially open the fair at 11 a.m. on the main stage where fairgoers will be treated to day-long musical entertainment. Other features are a 35+ vendor marketplace, local food and beverage vendors, the HMB fire department BBQ; an info session by fire chief Daley in the Hall, bingo, 50/50, the Story Theatre Pop-Up Troupe, and more! A shuttle bus will run from the Welcome Woods area to the park, helping to alleviate congestion and parking issues (some parking will be available at the fire hall). For details, including musicians, food vendors, and our sponsors, check the HBCA website or send an email to [email protected].
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