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	<title>You Asked &#187; Recent Posts</title>
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		<title>When the ferries go wireless . . . .</title>
		<link>http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/when-the-ferries-go-wireless/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/when-the-ferries-go-wireless/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 15 Jul 2010 21:44:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Amy Geddes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Recent Posts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/?p=898</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I heard BC Ferries is going to have wireless internet on their ferries soon. Will Salt Spring routes be getting it too? — S.M., Salt Spring Island BC Ferries recently announced that starting in July they will offer wireless internet (Wi-Fi) on the ships servicing the Swartz Bay-Tsawwassen route as well as at the two terminals. It is only a “pilot launch” of the technology, according to BC Ferries spokesperson Deborah Marshall, who explains that once deemed successful, the service will then be added to other major routes connecting Vancouver Island to the Lower Mainland: Departure Bay to Horseshoe Bay and Duke Point to Tsawwassen. Minor routes, such as those serving Salt Spring, are not on the soon-to-be-WiFi-friendly list as of yet. “While the service will be free to customers,” Marshall says, “the implementation does come at a cost to BC Ferries. As such, we are concentrating on the routes of longer duration and higher passenger counts.” Marshall does offer a small glimmer of hope to serial laptop and handheld device users, however. “Eventually we may expand Wi-Fi to the minor routes in the future,” she says, but cannot specify exactly when that might happen. Read the BC Ferries news [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Elephant noted in the harbour spawns question</title>
		<link>http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/elephant-noted-in-the-harbour-spawns-question/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/elephant-noted-in-the-harbour-spawns-question/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 04 Jun 2010 18:47:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Amy Geddes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Recent Posts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/?p=889</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Q: Why does the Salt Spring Sailing Club have an elephant on their flag? — Bob MacKie, Salt Spring Island A: The elephant is an icon taken from island seafaring history. John Healey, Commodore of the Salt Spring Sailing Club, explains that Ganges Harbour itself is named after the British naval flagship, the HMS Ganges, that patrolled local waters between 1857-58. Built in India and constructed of teak, the HMS Ganges’ badge bore the symbol of an elephant. The sailing club’s badge and flag (or burgee, as sailors call it) was designed in honour of this ship. Salt Spring Sailing Club members fly this burgee to indicate their affiliation to the club. When asked about the irony of having a hefty animal represent a fleet of sleek, fast sailing ships, Healey argued its appropriateness Like sailboats, he said, “When an elephant wants to go, it can be very fast and fearsome.”]]></description>
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		<title>Beach bonfires: a burning seasonal question</title>
		<link>http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/beach-bonfires-a-burning-seasonal-question/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/beach-bonfires-a-burning-seasonal-question/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 13 May 2010 18:53:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Amy Geddes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Recent Posts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/?p=876</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Q: What are the rules regarding beach bonfires on Salt Spring Island? — LMF, Salt Spring Island A: Beach bonfire buffs will be pleased to know that Salt Spring Fire-Rescue confirms that fires on Salt Spring beaches are permitted, but depending on where the high tide line is, they may need a permit. Salt Spring Fire-Rescue Dept. Deputy Chief Arjuna George has provided the following response to clarify this commonly asked question: Salt Spring Fire-Rescue currently permits beach fires under certain conditions. Our island’s fire hazard is at a moderate level and currently all fires are allowed with a permit within the boundaries of the Salt Spring Fire Protection District. Beach fires are classified as being a maximum of 3 by 3 feet in size. They can be located below the high-tide mark and on beachfront lands. Landowners may apply for a permit on their beachfront property above high tide, but only on private land. Beach fires are not permitted on public land, nor in parks above the high-tide mark. Low-tide mark is generally identified as being the line where the next tidal change will fully extinguish the beach fire. The driftwood areas on the beaches are not considered the [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Store reno not pricey for shoppers</title>
		<link>http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/store-reno-not-pricey-for-shoppers/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/store-reno-not-pricey-for-shoppers/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Apr 2010 23:39:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Amy Geddes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Recent Posts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/?p=867</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Q: Is the cost of groceries at Country Grocer going to go up now now that they’ve made the store bigger? — Man at Country Grocer in the red hat on Sunday, April 18 who did not wish to be named, Salt Spring Island A: The new deli and coffee shop addition that was opened to Country Grocer shoppers recently has caused a lot of buzz. Over that first weekend you could see people’s faces become temporarily transfixed as they slowly wheeled their carts into the new addition. The atmosphere was one of excitement and people seemed generally excited. While we waited at the deli counter to place our orders, a man in the red hat murmured the above question. He gave me permission to answer his query in this column, as long as I did not use his name. Good news, red hat man, Country Grocer’ managing partner Paul Large says the pricing formula of the store’s products will remain the same. The renovations and additions were taken on as a company investment, something Large says was critical since he plans on the store being there for the “long haul.” The changes, he explains, were a necessity. “It was [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Shellfish harvest bans: the signs decoded</title>
		<link>http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/shellfish-harvest-bans-the-signs-decoded/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/shellfish-harvest-bans-the-signs-decoded/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 Apr 2010 21:26:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Amy Geddes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Recent Posts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/?p=853</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Q. There have been shellfish harvesting bans on some of our beaches, like along Fernwood, for at least nine months or maybe longer. The signs keep staying up. What gives? — L.S., Salt Spring Island A: Sign, sign, everywhere a sign . . . on an island studded with metal signs picturing “X”ed-out clams and a skull and crossbones, it has become a widely-held notion that harvesting shellfish is a dangerous pursuit. Keep in mind that paralytic shellfish poisoning — one cause for the ban signs — is potentially fatal, but for those intent on harvesting local shellfish safely, Cam Blacklock, Fishery Officer at Fisheries and Oceans Canada says “there are many good areas open with access to many beaches with clams, oysters, etc. You just have to do a bit of homework first.” When asked to decode the signage, Blacklock explained there are three types of shellfish closure signs: permanent, seasonal and “call before you dig.” Permanent closures: metal signs that depict a clam with an “X” through it. These closures are usually due to sanitary contamination from busy harbours or a sewage outfall or overland flow of fecal contamination (farm, field, bad septic). These are clarified on a DFO [...]]]></description>
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		<title>A pint by any other name</title>
		<link>http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/a-pint-by-any-other-name/</link>
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		<pubDate>Tue, 30 Mar 2010 23:02:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Amy Geddes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Recent Posts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/?p=841</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Q. Does anyone on the island serve a pint of beer . . . I mean a 20-ounce pint? — Bob Mackie, Salt Spring Island In Canada, the term “pint” has become a loosely used term. Across B.C., pubs and restaurants advertise “pints” in ads and on sandwich boards, yet the amount that ends up being poured into your glass varies, due to a cloudy set of federal and provincial regulations that contradict one another. A Vancouver Sun article printed last year surveyed 15 pubs in metro Vancouver and found that “the time-honoured working man’s drink does not technically exist in B.C. due to a strange and desperate brew of federal and provincial regulations.” The federal government says anyone who claims to sell a pint in Canada is required to pour a full imperial pint measuring 20 ounces (568.26 millilitres). Yet the B.C. Liquor Control and Licensing Branch says individual servings of draft beer cannot exceed 500 millilitres (17.5 ounces), which makes it impossible for vendors to legally sell a true imperial pint. Salt Spring beer vendors similarly flounder amid the discrepancy and a “pint” is a term used subjectively across the island. Moby’s manager Robert Steinbach echoes the dilemma: [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Ferry unloading: a matter of luck</title>
		<link>http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/ferry-unloading-a-matter-of-luck/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/ferry-unloading-a-matter-of-luck/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:55:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Amy Geddes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Recent Posts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/?p=830</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Does BC Ferries have a plan for how they load cars onto the Fulford and Vesuvius ferries? If I’m in line early and still get put on the outside lane, then what’s the point of getting there early? My question is: Does BC Ferries have a “first there, first off” policy? — Erin Jory, Salt Spring Island BC Ferries confirms that at the Fulford ferry terminal, they do load vehicles on a first-come, first-on basis. But! Just because you drive on the ferry first does not mean you will drive off first — highly annoying for those who make an effort to arrive early, thinking it will get them ahead of the game. BC Ferries does, however, have a method behind what many may assume to be willy-nilly, loading/unloading madness. BC Ferries’ goal is to stow the large/heavy vehicles in the centre lanes because it makes for a neater, safer arrangement of vehicles on deck. “It is easier to keep semis, etc. in a straight line,” spokesperson Deborah Marshall says, “rather than have them go out to the sides where they will not be straight and take up more lane space — ending up closer to the vehicle next to [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Two-lines versus zebras</title>
		<link>http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/two-lines-versus-zebras/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/two-lines-versus-zebras/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:50:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Amy Geddes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Recent Posts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/?p=813</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I wonder why some crosswalks are marked with two parallel painted lines yet others are painted in a stripe pattern, like the Lower Ganges crosswalk at the corner of Rainbow Road. — SH, Salt Spring Island The Ministry of Transportation of Infrastructure refers to these two types of pedestrian crosswalk markings as 1) two-line crosswalks and 2) zebra crosswalks. The ministry uses the more highly visible zebra pattern for “added emphasis for the pedestrian crosswalk required,” according to an MoTI fact sheet. The zebra pattern is often used at mid-block crosswalks, highway crosswalks at unsignalled areas and crosswalks near schools where a high number of children cross the road. Municipalities can decide which style they use and may establish their own policies as to when and where they use them, but the ministry considers the two-line type crosswalks suitable only at intersections that are controlled by pedestrian or vehicular signals. Salt Spring has chosen to use the zebra pattern on recently installed crosswalks near Country Grocer and at various locations in Ganges — a wise choice for our poorly lit roads that lack street lights in most locations.]]></description>
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		<title>School zone etiquette: a need for reduced speed</title>
		<link>http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/school-zone-etiquette-a-need-for-reduced-speed/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/school-zone-etiquette-a-need-for-reduced-speed/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:34:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Amy Geddes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Recent Posts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/?p=793</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Q: My question concerns school zones. I notice that the school zone by the Salt Spring Elementary school is marked with both the student icon and speed limit of 30 km/hr, but when you are in the area of the high school there is only the student icon, no speed limit. Is it still 30? Thanks for clarifying. — CF, Salt Spring Island A: As drivers on the Gulf Islands where road signs are few and far between, it never hurts to refresh our knowledge of the rules of the road. An ICBC accident report recently requested by the Driftwood shows speed ranked as the number one factor contributing to single vehicle crashes on Salt Spring between 2004 and 2008. We need to slow down! School zones would be a good place to start. I drove down Rainbow Road on the weekend to examine the signage. The elementary school’s School Zone sign displays a 30 km/h speed limit — this limit is “in effect from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on school days,” according to ICBC’s RoadSense for Drivers handbook. On Salt Spring, “school days” means Monday to Thursday, according to driving instructor Lorne Bunyan of Cornerstone Driving School. The [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>15</slash:comments>
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		<title>Portlock Park pole mystery</title>
		<link>http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/portlock-park-pole-mystery/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/portlock-park-pole-mystery/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:54:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Amy Geddes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Recent Posts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gulfislands.net/wordpress/?p=783</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Q. We’ve been walking around Portlock and noticed poles and these round concrete pads on the ground behind the batting cages. What are they? There’s about eight poles and they’re about 15 feet tall. Thanks! — Mel and Shell from Dagwood’s, Salt Spring Island A. The pads and poles are part of a track and field facility, according to Parks and Rec manager Kees Ruurs. During the track and field season, netting is attached to the poles on three sides and the concrete pad is used by participants in discus throw, shot-put and hammer throw events. “Without safety netting surrounding these facilities,” Ruurs says, “bystanders might get hurt if a discus or hammer is released at the wrong time during the wind-up. (The athlete whirls around faster and faster and releases the discus or hammer at top speed, trying to throw it as far as he/she can.)” Ruurs says they do not see much participation in these events on the island, but during track and field meets they are important pieces of equipment.]]></description>
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