Sooke

[otter]

With the lack of proper launching and parking,Sooke waters this year are going to experience much less fishing pressure,thus less retention. Positive or negative, you be the judge in regards to the overall local economy. The local officials still have their head you know where and I guarantee come fall the business report/economy for 06 is not going to be good. Will that initiate ie. pressure, for a public launch? It should. Actually all there is to do when one visits Sooke is to fish, so to the numerous guides, B and Bs, the corner store etc, dont complain then, you had your chance at a local council meeting two weeks ago. You dont get it now but you will.
Any how Im looking forward to the season being a local. Have a nice day.

 

[Yote]

I agree with you too. I think that it is stupid for Sooke to not have an alternative launch, and as far as I am concerned Sunny Shores isn't going to cut it. I guess to go to Otter now means about an extra 20 minutes travel time from Cheanna, at least you can launch there on any tide.

 

[wolf]

You can launch on any tide as well at sunny shores been there now for the last ten years and if you know anything about navigation you will have no problems getting to any fishing grounds.

Good luck Wolf

 

[otter]

Yes thats the only alternative as of now and for the summer season,BUT during the peak season Sooke Marina,now defunct and Sunny Shores handled the load. Remember all the trucks and trailers lined up on Sooke Rd with the lot full capacity,every weekend. The one facility now is not going to handle it,for awhile until business moves to Pedder as one person indicated. Shores cant accommodate the trucks and trailers, its awckward to manouver and with all the family campers there SAFETY, I can see where they will allow only customer campers the opportunity for launching, yeah when the fog clears clearer heads will prevail. Stay tuned, I will keep every one updated and it wont be pleasurable.

 

[Yote]

Thanks for the useful info wolf.

 

[Time]

Otter has a good point that the local Sooke economy will probably take a hit but I doubt that the connection will be made.

It's about time to start pressuring the various gov't bodies to start building decent launch ramps in most locales. Having just joined the "trailer boat" crowd I am dismayed at how few facilities I am finding that are available, and not just in Sooke (which area I don't know but had planned on fishing this summer).

Of those few that are available, a lot are without basic amenities such as a float to tie up to while launching or retrieving. Designed perhaps for dropping a light boat that you don't mind hauling up onto the beach while moving your vehicle. Others are 'difficult' at lower tide levels (which is why I'm typing this today and not fishing).

One of the problems, as I see it, is that there is no economic rationale, or data, to justify improving or expanding the number of launch ramps. Such data is available for the lodges, charter boat, marina, and guiding interests, but not for the impact of the local Joe Average.

For those who are interested, and need an example of how marine development is viewed, this link will take you to the Cowichan-Mill Bay Marine Tourism Authority: http://marine.cowichan.net/resources.htm
It contains several studies and reports on the existing infrastructure and development of the marine area with particular emphasis on tourism. Lots of stuff on marinas, whale watching, etc, areas that can be easily quantified, but little mention of facilities for trailer boats.

As I say, this is just an example. Perhaps the Marine Trade Association, or some such, should be undertaking a study on the economic impact of "trailer boats". With the numbers being sold and proportion of homes with boats on trailers parked in driveways that I see, and projected increases in baby boomers moving to the Island (and how many will want to have a little trailer boat to do a bit of fishing or touring about?) I'm sure a case could be made for the community economic benefits of decent boat launches. And it's not just the gas/bait shack that would benefit. If I go to Port Alberni or Port Hardy, even Sooke, it's not just a day trip. It's a motel, dining out, etc.

Maybe time to get organized and make some noise.

Sorry about the diatribe. But ....

 

[salmon9]

I live within a 3 hrs drive to Alberni, Sooke and Renfrew. I am finding I am making less trips to Sooke over the past couple of years and lack of convienent launching will probably sway me to go elsewhere. I don't mean to rain on Sooke but will all the boats and poor launching it's not on top of my frequent fishing locations.