Emily Carson-Apstein
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder
Several community members attended the April 17th Gabriola Islands Trust meeting to express their concern about a large boat that was going to be arriving at Degnan bay.
They reported that the 58 foot catamaran has been purchased from the Vancouver Maritime Museum by a Gabriola resident who intends to moor it in Degnan Bay. The community members did not know the identity of the boat’s new owner. Trustees expressed concern over the lack of specificity surrounding the boat’s use, and the number of existing abandoned vessels in Degnan bay. The community members said that four large concrete blocks have already been placed in Degnan Bay (potentially in sensitive eelgrass habitat) to serve as mooring buoys for the large vessel. While putting out mooring buoys is permitted under current bylaws, eelgrass habitats are managed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada who are mandated to ensure that proposed developments do not negatively impact existing eelgrass beds. Eelgrass is an important part of the west coast ecosystem, acting as habitat for fish and invertebrates, and as a carbon sink to store greenhouse gases. The concerned community members were encouraged to reach out to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to find out whether the mooring for this boat constitutes a damaging development, but no new information from them was available at the time of publication.
Since the April 17 LTC meeting, the Sounder has identified the boat’s owner as local shipwright Mitch Burns, and the boat as the former police vessel MV Nadon.
Nadon was built in 1991 and patrolled the waterways surrounding Vancouver Island until it was decommissioned in 2016.
It is a 58 foot fully aluminum catamaran currently undergoing repairs in Steveston.
Burns says the concrete blocks are not staying where they were placed in the shallows of Degnan bay, but will become multiple moorings for the boat (one in Degnan outside of the eelgrass habitat, one near Brickyard, and one at a different island).
When asked what his intentions are for the future of the vessel, Burns replied: “Pleasure use, with a removable sauna pod, and a cedar tub in the works come fall.
“Any interest here feel free & encouraged to reach out and get involved. Potentials for the intended use of the vessel in the future include facilitation in oil spill response, coastal clean up endeavours, and shipwright services and contract work down the road.”
The MV Nadon, a retired police vessel, will be coming to Gabriola waters once it has completed repairs in Steveston. Submitted photo
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