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Vol. 90 Issue 36 • Wednesday, September 4, 2013 • www.arrowlakesnews.com • 250-265-3823 • $1.25 •
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Nakusp boaters not happy with new ramp CLAIRE PARADIS Arrow Lakes News
Problems with the new wharf constructed at the Nakusp marina are coming to light, say a group of Nakusp boaters who met on the boat ramp on Monday, Aug. 26. Concerns about access during lower water levels were at the top of a list of complaints, with some boaters forecasting the ramp could become unusable in the next few weeks. When asked if BC Hydro had plans to address the issue, Hydro representative Mary Anne Coules said that the Crown corporation’s mandate was only to provide access during the recreational season. According to Coules, Hydro is required under its water license issued by the Comptroller of Water Rights only to provide summer recreational boat access. “The current forecast indicates that the ramp should be usable for the duration of the recreational season (through to September 30),” Coules told the Arrow Lakes News in an email. As many boaters in the area
know, winter is a very popular time for fishing, with two major fishing derbies that draw hundreds of people and their tourist dollars to the area every year. With the old boat ramp gone, access will now be seasonally limited in a way it never was before. When told this and then asked if Hydro planned to restore yearround access to the lake with further construction, Coules reiterated that Hydro’s mandate was only to provide summer access, but that Columbia Power expects to resume construction and build a ramp “to the design standard agreed to by the community.” The completed ramp “will be usable to the same level of access as the previous ramp,” said Coules. Hydro is “hopeful” that this construction will occur in spring, “but there are limitations on predicting and committing to such operations due to uncertainties with inflows and Columbia River Treaty requirements,” Coules told the Arrow Lakes News. “I’m getting the impression that we’re not taken seriously,” said Nakusp mayor Karen Ham-
ling, “that we’re considered a bother.” The Village is looking into the terms of the Access Order issued by the Comptroller. And the boaters? Although the plans for the new marina looked good on paper, said some of them, there are now serious problems for fishers and paddlers looking to get out onto the water. Not being able to reach the water is, of course, the biggest one, but the railing to the floating walkway is another obstacle for solo boaters. “Before I could launch by myself no problem,” said local fisher Joe Williams, “now you need two people, or get wet running around trying to get to your boat before it floats away.” Many of the local boaters are senior citizens, Williams pointed out, and sprinting to catch the boat’s painter just isn’t feasible. Running down the length of the ramp are two cables wrapped with orange flagging tape to warn of a trip hazard. But the bright colour isn’t enough. While the boaters had their meeting, a boy coming in from the water tripped on the cables not once but twice.
Local boaters in Nakusp are not impressed with the long-awaited boat ramp. Claire Paradis/Arrow Lakes News “It’s an accident waiting to hap- the drop from the floating walkway pen,” said Williams, who pointed to to the water too far for a paddler to the cables as one of a few hazards. easily step into the boat. Owners of Another is the lack of a barrier on fragile fibreglass vessels who need to the ramp. Where a beam running launch their boats in water not scrapalong the length of the old ramp pre- ing onto land now have a big drop to vented trucks launching boats from contend with. Fisher John Vander Kroft told the accidentally backing into the drink, there is now a line of broken rocks, Arrow Lakes News that the ramp is not enough of a guard to stop a vehi- too heavy, and the floating walkway cle from slipping down into the water doesn’t move with the water when said Williams. Even launching car-top boats such See Boat ramp page 5 as canoes or kayaks is a trial, with
Woman’s life saved by fast acting ferry crew CLAIRE PARADIS Arrow Lakes News
Mary Walters celebrated her 65th birthday this Friday, Aug. 30 with a bit more gusto this year. Walters, a paddler with the Kootenay Rhythm Dragons in Nelson, a breast cancer dragon boat team, was on her way home from the BC Seniors Games when she was stung and experienced her first-time serious reaction to a sting. The sting occurred while Walters and her friend were waiting for the ferry, but the reaction took place about half way across the water. “I never had a reaction to a bee sting or wasp sting before,” Walters told the Arrow Lakes News, “never anything like that before.
“It went from ‘oh gosh something’s wrong’ to unconscious in minutes.” Walters’ travel mate quickly gave her an antihistamine pill, but the reaction to the sting was swift, and the paddler’s health rapidly took a turn for the worse, causing her to lose consciousness. Noticing her distress, ferry staff quickly gave her first aid, and monitored her vitals. Even though she was able to breathe, Walters’ blood pressure dropped to an alarming level. Mate Janet Fowlie and terminal attendant Joey Lewis stayed with her and treated her while other crew members called the ambulance and communicated to the other passengers what the situation was. Captain James Dunne, deck
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hand Steve Krywa and oiler Chad Davidson all lent a hand ensuring Walters got to the Nakusp ambulance which drove her to the Arrow Lakes Hospital. Jim Carachelo, a former paramedic coming on to shift on the Shelter Bay ferry said that Fowlie and Lewis had the situation well in hand. “The medical assistance that was rendered was as good as any I have seen provided without advanced life support,” said Carachelo in a memo to Waterbridge Ferries Regional Manager Dave Holm. “It turned out we had a bunch of good people on there,” said Holm, perhaps understating the case. All crew have marine basic first aid certification at minimum, with engineers and captains required to
have marine advanced first aid. The ferries also carry an AED (an automated external defibrillator used for cardiac arrest) and oxygen on board. “You’d be surprised,” said Holm, “we get all kind of weird and wonderful things happen…Rollovers, traffic accidents between ferry and Nakusp or Revelstoke.” Ferry staff often lend a hand if someone in a bad situation near the ferry is in need of help. “The ferry staff were just amazing,” said Walters, who has very few memories of her own of their care, but survived to hear about what they had done. “I remember trying to step out of my car, I recall being taken into the hospital.” On her way to a wedding the
next day to be part of honour guard, Walters wouldn’t let them cut her shirt. A couple of adrenaline shots and lots of care later (people on the same ferry came by the hospital to see if she was okay), the lucky Dragon was released to go home at six that night. Now, Walters carries two EpiPens with her at all times, including out on the dragon boat. This year, she is celebrating her 65th birthday less than a week after the could-be tragedy was averted, making the milestone all the more significant. “I’m celebrating my birthday with a renewed sense of gratitude and well-being,” said Mary Walters, the dragon who was saved by a ferry’s care.
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