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Wow Joey, what an awesome report!!! Great pics too Thanks Maureen

It's good to hear that they got to it so quickly, that is more than half the battle. I'm sure you'll have many happy years with your new family member. Maureen

my condolences Hometown....nice memories you have... Maureen

Sorry i don't know anything about this, and the friends I have that would are all at a dog show this week Good luck with the pup, and please give us an update... Maureen

Very nice Ryan, looks like a great boat for the whole family, congrats again. Maureen

My condolences Wayne to your family, it's been a tough summer for you... Maureen

Congrats on the new Machine Ryan!!! it's likely lots of guys here can help you out, but if not I will get the number for a guy in Waubaushene, he's a mechanic, and a real good one. He's the guy the marina's go to when they can't figure out the problem...lol...he's near pier 69, small shop. Maureen

ok, that's what I thought but wanted to make sure, thanks for the tip Splashhopper, I'll be sure to tell her that. Maureen

Mark Hume Vancouver — From Thursday's Globe and Mail Last updated on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009 08:56AM EDT The Fraser River is experiencing one of the biggest salmon disasters in recent history with more than nine million sockeye vanishing. Aboriginal fish racks are empty, commercial boats worth millions of dollars are tied to the docks and sport anglers are being told to release any sockeye they catch while fishing for still healthy runs of Chinook. Between 10.6 million and 13 million sockeye were expected to return to the Fraser this summer. But the official count is now just 1.7 million, according to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Where the nine to 11 million missing fish went remains a mystery. “It's beyond a crisis with these latest numbers,” said Ernie Crey, fisheries adviser to the Sto:lo tribes on the Fraser. “What it means is that a lot of impoverished natives are going to be without salmon. … We have families with little or no income that were depending on these fish. … It's a catastrophe,” he said. Mr. Crey said a joint Canada-U.S. salmon summit should be called to find solutions. The sockeye collapse is startling because until just a few weeks ago it seemed the Fraser was headed for a good return. In 2005 nearly nine million sockeye spawned in the Fraser system, producing a record number of smolts, which in 2007, began to migrate out of the lakes where they'd reared for two years. Biologists for the DFO were buoyed by the numbers – the Chilko and Quesnel tributaries alone produced 130 million smolts – and because the young fish were bigger than any on record. Those fish were expected to return to the Fraser this summer in large numbers, and those projections held until a few weeks ago when test fishing results began to signal a problem. Barry Rosenberger, DFO area director for the Interior, said test nets at sea got consistently low catches, then samples in the river confirmed the worst – the sockeye just weren't there in any numbers. There had been some hope the fish – which return in five distinct groups, or runs – might be delayed at sea, but Mr. Rosenberger dismissed that possibility. “There are people hanging on to hope … but the reality is … all indications are that none of these runs are late,” he said. Mr. Rosenberger said officials don't know where or why the salmon vanished – but they apparently died at some point during migration. “We've been pondering this and I think a lot of people are focusing on the immediate period of entry into the Strait of Georgia and asking what on earth could have happened to them,” said Dr. Brian Riddell, President of the Pacific Salmon Foundation. “What we're seeing now is very, very unexpected.” Some are pointing accusing fingers at salmon farms, as a possible suspect, because of research that showed young sockeye, known as smolts, got infested with sea lice as they swam north from the Fraser, through the Strait of Georgia. “This has got to be one of the worst returns we've ever seen on the Fraser. … It's shocking really,” said Craig Orr, of Watershed Watch. Dr. Riddell said sea lice infestations are a possible factor, but it is “extremely unlikely” that could account for the entire collapse. “We have had the farms there for many years and we have not seen it related to the rates of survival on Fraser sockeye [before],” he said. Dr. Riddell said a sockeye smolt with sea lice, however, might grow weak and become easy prey or succumb to environmental conditions it might otherwise survive. Alexandra Morton, who several years ago correctly predicted a collapse of pink salmon runs in the Broughton Archipelago because of sea lice infestations, in March warned the same thing could happen to Fraser sockeye. She said researchers used genetic analyses to show Fraser sockeye smolts were getting infested with sea lice in Georgia Strait. “I looked at about 350 of this generation of Fraser sockeye when they went to sea in 2007 and they had up to 28 sea lice [each]. The sea lice were all young lice, which means they got them in the vicinity of where we were sampling, which was near the fish farms in the Discovery Islands. If they got sea lice from the farms, they were also exposed to whatever other pathogens were happening on the fish farms (viruses and bacteria), ” said Ms. Morton in an e-mail. “There's a lot of different beliefs as to why the fish haven't shown up, but I think it's pretty clear where there are no fish farms salmon are doing well,” said Brian McKinley, a guide and owner of Silversides Fishing Adventure. “It's pretty frustrating to watch what is happening,” he said from his boat, anchored on the river near Mission. “I remember sockeye would just boil through here in August and September. It was insane. . .now the river seems dead.” Dan Gerak, who runs Pitt River Lodge, said there is an environmental crisis on the river. “Definitely something's got to be done – or it's finished forever,” he said of the Fraser's famed salmon run. Other big runs of salmon are expected to return this year - notably pinks where are projected to number 17 million - but it is too early to tell if the sockeye collapse will be repeated with other species. the link is here

Hi all, I'm sure someone here will have the answer. A friend at work want to put ceramic tile down in her laundry room. The concern is that she has in floor heating (not sure what type at the moment if it matters) and will need to use a self leveling compound before laying tiles. Her concern is that it would be too much "stuff" covering the heating and having it not work properly or too much as a result. Does anyone here have any knowledge on this or experience?? Thanks for your help Maureen

I guess that makes me a Great Aunt, but then I already was one , and ya Brian, you're a young pup compared to Beans... Maureen

I live around the corner from it but never camped in it. It is a natural Park, so no beaches or such. The launch in Penetang I think charges 20 for non residents. Fishing up here can be good, a Musky was caught in Penetang Bay, there are Walleye, Bass. Pike and of course access to lots of water in G-Bay if you have a boat that can handle bigger water. Sorry I'm not too much help but I try... Maureen

only in my dreams!!!! Maureen

Dang Cliff, I'm sorry to hear that, but very happy to know you and Sue are allright. If you need anything let me know and I'll do what I can. Maureen

Congrats to the family Brian... Maureen

Whenever I've been to BPS they haven't had them...I'll keep a closer watch for them... Maureen

Where did you get them???? I thought they were only available in the US, I hope to get a set one of these days, in fact I want the same ones GCD has, love the color.... Maureen

Hey Ryan, hope you have a great day!!! Maureen

Hope you have a great day Remo!!!! Maureen

Amazing photos as usual Rob, thanks for sharing... Maureen

I haven't been there for two years, but they were still charging I think 10-15 to launch, and I think there were two or one large launch. I haven't launched myself so I can't give you more info than that... Maureen

Wow Jack, that had the potential for disaster...so glad it all worked out for you Maureen

Glad to see them out and about.... Maureen

Hey roy, hope you had a GREAT day!!! Maureen

That's great Cliff, but c'mon man, where are the pics of the new ride....I'm dying here Maureen