South Mountain
Press
PERFECT PICK
Friday, MAY 22, 2026 Vo lum e 18 N um b e r30
FREE TAKE ONE SERVIN G ERICK SON , ON AN OLE, SAN D Y LAK E, ELPHIN STON E, W ASAGAM IN G, ROLLIN G RIVER, K EESEEK OOW EN IN & SURROUN D IN G AREA
CIN DY M U R R AY / F O R SO U T H M O U N T AIN PR E SS Showing off its fine acrobatic skills, this red headed woodpecker clung onto the side of a bird feeder while selecting the perfect seed for its mid-afternoon snack. A rather rare and interesting fact about these birds is that both genders look the same, as in the bird world, the males and females are usually quite different from one another.
T a gging system now req uired for boa ts on Clea r La ke RAC HEAL FLIN TO FT So uth M o unta in Pre ss
Boaters heading to Clear Lake this summer will need to go through a new inspection and tagging process before they can launch, and every time they take their boat out of the water. Parks Canada introduced the mandatory program on May 14 as one of several steps aimed at slowing the spread of aquatic invasive
species in Riding Mountain National Park. Once a motorized or trailered boat clears inspection, a Parks Canada staff member attaches a tag that locks the vessel to its trailer. That tag stays on until the next launch, when staff must remove it before the boat can go back in. The process repeats each time the boat comes out of the water. Inspections and annual permit registration are handled at the Boat
Cove station in Wasagaming, open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Gates to the boat launch are locked outside those hours. Timing matters this season. Boaters whose vessels have not touched any water in 2026 have until June 7 to register and launch the same day. After June 8, or for any boat that has already been in water this year, a 45day quarantine is required before it can go on Clear Lake. All watercraft must be cleaned,
drained, and completely dry before launching. Parks Canada is also asking boaters to keep separate equipment for Clear Lake and the park’s other lakes, including Lake Audy, Moon Lake, and Lake Katherine. Non-motorized watercraft, towables, wetsuits, drysuits, diving gear, and multi-person inflatables also require an annual permit, issued separately for Clear Lake or outlying park waters. Additional re-
$ Finance a new camper, boat, vehicle, or trip, and you could get up to three months of payments covered. Connect with a Sunrise lender to enter. *Some conditions apply. Three (3) winners will be selected, one (1) per Sunrise district. Each winner will receive either three (3) months of payments or up to $3,000 in payments, whichever is less. Winner financing must be approved to qualify. Deadline to qualify July 31, 2026. See branch for details.
strictions for the 2026 season include a 150-metre no-wake zone from shore, non-motorized days every Monday and Tuesday, and a non-motorized quiet period overnight from 8:30 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. Authorized operators, including the tour boat, are exempt. Longer wait times are possible on weekends and hot days. Parks Canada is encouraging visitors to plan inspection visits during offpeak hours where possible.