As I cruise up and down the coast of British Columbia, I am noticing more and more floathomes being set up permanently in bay, after bay, after bay. Apparently this is perfectly legal. I have approached "Islands Trust" and they show no interest in tackling this sticky issue. It is sad to pull into a favourite harbour to find it has been appropriated by a floathome and forever more, the whole area has been claimed. The number of new floathomes grows every year. As an example, several years ago three floathomes were towed to Squirrel Cove on Cortez Island. They were put up for sale and a woman bought them and moved in. In the past, four or five boats could tie up there in the summer time and now the whole section of Squirrel Cove is now "claimed" forever. Many of these floathomes are used for summer cottages and remain unused for most of the year.
Two floathomes were towed into Annette Inlet on Prevost Island (Gulf Islands) and they, of course, are still there years later. Even though it states in the "rules" of the Gulf Islands Trust that you can't put a permanently moored structure anywhere within the Gulf Islands, for some reason they don't consider a floathome to be a permanent structure.
What I am hoping to do here if find out how other boaters who ply the waters in British Columbia feel about the increasing numbers of permanent floathomes taking over so many of our secluded bays. I am looking for advice on how to proceed and general feedback.
One thing I would like to do is to organize a chart of where all the floathomes are situated which would show the extent of the problem.
I am of the opinion that a person should not be allowed to claim a bay for themselves and their summer cottage. Pollution aside, for the most part they are an eyesore.
Any feedback appreciated. I think a good place to start is to photograph, index, plot on a chart all of the floathomes in British Columbia to get a handle on the scope of the spread. There are hundreds at the moment and the numbers are growing every year.
My question is, does anyone else feel as I do that this is not a good thing.
Please let me know how you feel. Thanks John
Two floathomes were towed into Annette Inlet on Prevost Island (Gulf Islands) and they, of course, are still there years later. Even though it states in the "rules" of the Gulf Islands Trust that you can't put a permanently moored structure anywhere within the Gulf Islands, for some reason they don't consider a floathome to be a permanent structure.
What I am hoping to do here if find out how other boaters who ply the waters in British Columbia feel about the increasing numbers of permanent floathomes taking over so many of our secluded bays. I am looking for advice on how to proceed and general feedback.
One thing I would like to do is to organize a chart of where all the floathomes are situated which would show the extent of the problem.
I am of the opinion that a person should not be allowed to claim a bay for themselves and their summer cottage. Pollution aside, for the most part they are an eyesore.
Any feedback appreciated. I think a good place to start is to photograph, index, plot on a chart all of the floathomes in British Columbia to get a handle on the scope of the spread. There are hundreds at the moment and the numbers are growing every year.
My question is, does anyone else feel as I do that this is not a good thing.
Please let me know how you feel. Thanks John