Parry Sound Area

Celebrate Christmas in July with The Parry Sound Power and Sail Squadron

Activities, Events and Presentations, Parry Sound Area, ,

Every year, Parry Sound Power and Sail Squadron, invites boaters to Celebrate the First of July by joining a Christmas in July sail past. Just decorate your power boat like a lighted Christmas present, or your sailboat like a Christmas tree, and join us. You don’t have to be a member of CPS, just have a boat.

There are two possibilities:

  1. Decorate your boat and join us behind Rosetta Island in the Parry Sound Harbour, at 9:15 on July 1 – Canada Day. Or,
  2. If June has been warm and the weather on July 1 is acceptable, anchor south of Rosetta island. There is shallow water near Parry Island. Have a Bar-B-Q and supper, swim, decorate your boat, and join us south of Rosetta Island at 9:15

The parade of lights will leave at 9:35 led by the OPP boat or Cambrian. We travel, in line, toward Parry Sound Marine then loop to travel along the east side of the concrete wharf — many cheers and halloos there. We try to get out past Bobs Point before the Island Queen returns from her evening cruise. We then tour toward the Old Town beach and Parry Sound Sailing School so the residents of Belvedere can see us. We try to get back and anchored for the fireworks.

If the Island Queen has returned and is holding position in the channel, there is often room to pass between the ship and breakwater. Skippers choice. Once past the breakwater you can move to starboard and take the green buoys to port. There is lots of depth there for our wee boats.

Of course, a skipper is responsible for his/her own boat. When and where and why you break off from the procession is up to you. Grandchildren can insist that fireworks are more important than a cruise past Belvedere.

One year in twenty, I remember a thunder storm that caused a change in plans. Once again, skipper’s choice.

After the sail past there is usually safe anchorage just inside or just outside Parry Sound harbor east or west of Big Sound Marina where you can watch fireworks.

After the fireworks there tends to be total confusion in the harbour. I usually leave my boat anchored and fire up ALL my lights until things quiet down. On other nights I have followed boats out toward the Sound – boats with no lights, boats with their red and green lights backwards. I find it best to wait.

Hope to see you at Rosetta this July 1.

John Mason Commander/Educational Officer CPS-ECP

Christmas in July – 2013

Redwood1890-20130701-DSC_8635

State of the Sound Report – 2015-05-17

Environmental / Weather, Information/Reports, Parry Sound Area, , ,

Life is good, the water is cold but that isn’t deterring some boaters. We had a strange front roll in across the Big Sound mid-afternoon yesterday. The sky was partially cloudy and patches of blue showing through with a fog like condition hovering over the surface of the water. A few minutes later it passed; the sky didn’t clear up but the fog/mist lifted.

Boating into Mid-Day Mists.

Redwood189020150516-_DS61549_DxO-2‘Clic on the pic’ for a better view’.

 

 

State of the Sound Report – 2015-04-29

Environmental / Weather, Parry Sound Area, , , ,
Redwood189020150429-_DSC9790_DxO

The Samuel Risley heading out of Parry Sound on the 29th. I don’t know where it was headed but the navigation aids on the stern may be a hint. I have been told that the Coast Guard is responsible for the commercial navigation aids in Georgian Bay with private contractors responsible for the small craft navigation aids.

JB – Communications Officer

State of the Sound Report – 2015-04-22

Environmental / Weather, Information/Reports, Parry Sound Area, , ,

Redwood189020150421-_DSC1007_DxO
Full speed ahead captain, we’re clear of ice.

Commander Mason, John Mason, was pretty much on the money when he predicted April 21st for the Big Sound to be ice free, although he did qualify it with a possibility of it being a week earlier or later. I haven’t seen anyone out on the water yet but the contractors will want to get started as soon possible with projects on the islands and areas accessible only by water.

JB – Communications Officer

Annual General Meeting – May 6, 2015

Activities, Events and Presentations, Parry Sound Area,

The Parry Sound Power and Sail Squadron will be holding it’s Annual General Meeting on May 6th.

Notice of Parry Sound Squadron Annual General Meeting 2015

To All Bridge Officers, Graduates, Squadron members

Date:           Wednesday May 6, 2015

Time:          7:00 pm

Location:    Parry Sound District Museum, (top of Tower Hill)
17 George St., Parry Sound

Chair:        Commander John Mason, JN

Secretary:  Jo Bossart

 Agenda 

  • Opening Remarks
  • Minutes of last meeting
  • Officers’ Reports
  • Address by District Commander and National Elizabeth Appleton
  • Graduation
  • Awards/Presentations: Merit Marks
  • Report of the Chairman of the Nominating Committee
  • Election of the New Bridge
  • Pledging of the Bridge by D/C

Marine VHF Radio Course – Enrollment Open

Courses/Training, Events and Presentations, Parry Sound Area, ,

A two evening Marine VHF instruction course with examination will be offered May 12th and 19th, 2015, at Lakeland Long Term Care facility (beside the West Parry Sound District Hospital in Parry Sound).

The supplied course materials include a manual and CD covering VHF marine radio use and Digital Selective Calling (DSC). The course will prepare you for the Restricted Operator Certificate (Maritime) and DSC Endorsement exams that will be administered on the second night with temporary licenses issued that evening for people successfully completing the exams.

To legally operate a maritime radio as an individual or business you need this certificate. The Maritime Radio course, ROC (M), teaches emergency radio procedures as well as everyday operating techniques.

Register with John Mason in advance so course materials can be ordered.
705.342.1315, or masonj@vianet.ca.

The cost is $75 including course materials with a $10 discount ($65) for Canadian Power and Sail Squadron members.

State of the Sound Report – 2015-04-12

Environmental / Weather, General/Travel, Parry Sound Area, , , ,

Redwood189020150412-_DSC9451_DxOThis photo was taken a few hours ago and shows the extent of the open water. We received a considerable amount of rain in the past 48 hours and today it’s above 10°C (50°F), so things may move quickly. Commander Mason at the last meeting of the Parry Sound Squadron Bridge promised the Big Sound would be clear by April 21st, plus or minus one week. It won’t be a week early, but hopefully no later than the 28th. If you can’t play on the ice it may as well be gone.

‘Clic on the Pic’ for a larger view.

State of the Sound Report – 2015-03-30

Environmental / Weather, Information/Reports, Parry Sound Area, , ,

Redwood189020150328-_DSC9047_DxOA familiar benchmark for the condition of the Big Sound, PS2 is now ‘bathed’ in ice rather than snow. We have had a few days a little above freezing followed by quite a bit more below freezing at night. Add in a little rain, not too much, and the Big Sound is turning into a skating rink. It’s been too cold to suggest there is much thinning of the ice, but the insulating layer of snow has been removed. It’s still weeks until boating season. The creeks and rivers are starting to open up so there will soon be some cold season kayaking possible.