Sisters Marine Weather Station is Out!
The marine weather station on Sisters Islets (https://weather.gc.ca/marine/forecast_e.html?mapID=02&siteID=14301) is critical for understanding wind and wave conditions in the strait between Lasqueti and Vancouver Island. It is a key source of information used by our ferry captain to make decisions about safe crossings during winter storms, and by local fishers and boaters in vessels of all sizes.
The weather station has been out of service since Aug 21!
Both Richard C. and I wrote to Environment Canada to alert them:
- "Marine weather for Sisters Islets MIA... This weather station has not been reporting for some time -- it is a crucial station for marine traffic in this part of the Strait."
and... - "I was wondering when the Sisters Island weather station in the Straight Of Georgia was going to come back on line."
They responded promptly to both of us, with the following form letter:
"""
Thank you for sending your message to Environment and Climate Change Canada. We regret that the weather observations from the Sisters Islets station are not currently available. This station was serviced at the end of July, but stopped reporting on August 21 because of communication issues at the station. Unfortunately, we typically do not visit these remote coastal stations between regular maintenance trips so it’s possible that the problem won’t be fixed until July, 2019. However, we will explore the possibility to visit this station again this fall.
Best regards,
André Cyr
Weather information specialist
MSC National Inquiry Response Team ISO 9001:2008
Environment and Climate Change Canada
""" (emphasis added)
*** i.e., They are planning to leave this weather station OUT OF SERVICE for the ENTIRE WINTER STORM SEASON!!! ***
We wanted to alert others to this neglect of critical infrastructure on our coast - you can contact the Weather Office at E.C. here:
https://weather.gc.ca/mainmenu/contact_us_e.html
Comments
Letter to our MP
Our MP is Gord Johns ( gord [dot] johns [at] parl [dot] gc [dot] ca )
I wrote him the following letter:
--------------------------------------------
MP Johns,
I am writing today to alert you that the Sisters Islets weather station, situated between Qualicum Beach and Lasqueti Island, has been down for a month, and I received a note from Environment and Climate Change Canada (attached below) indicating they may not repair it until July 2019.
These marine weather stations are a critical part of the marine navigation infrastructure that keep our coastal waters safe. The channel around Sisters Islets are some of the most notorious within the Salish Sea for unforgiving and unexpected winds, including the famous and dangerous Qualicum winds that blow only in this region (they are not detected by any other marine weather stations).
First I would say that I am very impressed that I received a personal reply to my query about the weather station -- kudos to the MSC National Inquiry Response Team for their responsiveness, that's awesome.
But I am more than a little alarmed to find that they would consider it acceptable to simply leave this critical piece of infrastructure inoperable through an entire winter storm season. Cruise ships, oil barges, fishing boats, log booms, and the Lasqueti passenger ferry (in addition to innumerable personal light craft) all regularly traverse the hazardous waters surrounding Sisters Islets, and all rely on the weather reports from this and other stations throughout the Strait for their safety.
I hope you could raise this query with the responsible Minister and we might get the weather station operational for the storm season.
with thanks....
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