Island Tug and Barge Fuel Carrier Island Trader
Have you heard about the Vancouver Island Tanker Fleet? We have had a rather large one for some time you know.
Every time you fuel your car, your boat, your motorcycle, your lawnmower, your tractor or even one of those noisy horrible leaf blowing things, you are using fuel brought here by the Vancouver Island Tanker Fleet.
Each drop of gasoline may be delivered to your local gas station by truck, but each of those drops of fuel are first brought to our Island via tanker barge and tug, hundreds of thousands of liters at a time.
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SS Beaver in better times
The replica of the SS Beaver, lately tied alongside the now departed Dominion will not be going to Mexico for scrapping as was first thought.
It will remain at anchor in Cowichan Bay for the foreseeable future, keeping station out in the Bay at roughly the same spot where the Dominion once floated.
Legal issues have tied it to Canadian waters. Apparently the current owner is not in a position to be able to sell and rolls of red tape are now holding the decaying tourist vessel in our bay as securely as a couple of ten ton anchors.
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Dominion I At Dock
The Dominion has finally begun it’s last voyage. If we ever see it again, it’ll be in the form of a new steel coffee table, the springs in our new mattress or perhaps even a door panel in a new car. It’s going to the scrap yard, and that’s just fine with everyone in Cowichan Bay Village.
The deep sea tug Gaviota under the direction of Captain Salvador Cardenens took our long term guest in tow today (at 00:06 Saturday June 22nd) for it’s final voyage. It’s off to to Ensenada Mexico just south of San Diego California.
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UPDATE:
The most recent reports from the tug Gaviota indicate that she’ll hook to her tow around midnight tonight, setting out for Mexican Waters with vessels slated for the scrapyard. More information when it becomes available.
The Dominion I
The Dominion I has been fitted with it’s towing bridle. Now it’s just a matter of paperwork and an inspection by a marine surveyor and all systems will be “go” for the trek to Mexico and the scrap yard. Rob Van Riter of San Diego, the man who bought the vessel for $100 from Oregon owner Robert Hall, has kept his promise and returned to finish the job he started.
“Dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s is all that’s left now.”; says Van Ritter, who has salvaged ships from the USA and Mexico in his career.
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Tractor Day! – Duncan Forestry Museum
June 16th was Father’s day. A sunny summery highly pleasant day, where good fathers all around Cowichan Bay were being feted for being… well for being so good. However, for Pete, Brian and myself, June 16th was a day of importance for a completely unrelated reason. It was Tractor Day at the Duncan Forestry Museum.
The three of us piled into the truck around noon and with the sun shining happily overhead we set off for the short trek to the Forestry Museum.
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Park at your peril!
Update: July 28th 2013. Apparently the Deli has been sold. The new owners will be taking over shortly. I think the days of Park at your Peril may well be over now.
Update April 8 2018: The owners who took over are much more laid back. All is well with regard to that parking space. Almost everyone parks with a considerate eye to the 45 minute time limit request. We are getting along once more.
Let the following stand as an example of what happens when opposing interests choose to do otherwise.
You are looking at a valuable piece of real estate. It’s a parking spot in front of one of the businesses in Cowichan Bay Village. It’s a spot that has been the subject of more than a few squabbles, the venue for that variety of street theater which goes a long way towards making Cowichan Bay Village the interesting place to live that it is.
There’s a little sign associated with the parking space, which suggests that parking is permissible for only 15 minutes per visitor between the hours of 7am and 7pm, seven days a week.
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