Latest spit news

[Ryan]

For sure, some experts have been looking at all the options, we should hear soon. Apparently there'll be a vote.

https://squamishwindsports.com/news/spit-update/

[raquo]

piling in a simple elevated foot path would be financially viable.

After the initial 300m of the spit is removed, they want to remove more of the spit / dyke, so any land access has to be from 3rd ave.

[Slappy]

After the initial 300m of the spit is removed, they want to remove more of the spit / dyke, so any land access has to be from 3rd ave.

Even if they remove the entire 1 km of spit road, if "remove" means only the top half you could still pile a walking path on top pretty cost effectively.

[raquo]

Why do you think they'll stop at 1km? There's more dyke upstream to remove. Those who wanted the spit gone aren't going anywhere anytime soon, and neither are the budgets funding them.

It doesn't even matter if removing the spit ends up help helping salmon or not. If it works – "great, let's do more of that to help even more". Didn't work? "Obviously we didn't do enough, let's do more of that, it will work this time". Rinse and repeat, just like they did with their useless culverts.

Right now they can't remove the upstream parts of the dyke because it's protecting downtown from floods, but eventually (in 20 years or so) downtown will be protected by the new sea dyke, so more of the Squamish river dyke will become redundant and thus removable.

So the remainder of the dyke is not a good place to build long term access from. Even if the dyke still exists in a few years, it will remain at risk of removal for many years to come.

[Mike]

They are only removing the top half of the old spit so it will still be exposed at around a tide of about 1.7m. [/attachment]

Thanks for all the updates Ryan. I find the 1.7M exposure interesting.

I will be curious to know at what level it's walkable. If it's 1.7M I think there will be a good window every 2 weeks. Especially good for kiters than need the island launch area and have lighter gear to carry. Just don't over stay if there is no ferry.

I'm no engineer but I do find this level odd for the purpose of little salmon. It's low tide when the current is the greatest so what they're doing won't change this. My guess is opening this up on the highest current speed would push the sand bar into the shipping terminal. So maybe the low tide walkway will stay?

[Slappy]

I will be curious to know at what level it's walkable. If it's 1.7M I think there will be a good window every 2 weeks. Especially good for kiters than need the island launch area and have lighter gear to carry. Just don't over stay if there is no ferry.

Keep in mind that if the ground is at 1.7m tide you can put your wetsuit on and walk in up to 2.7m tide if the current isn't too crazy.

[Michael]

Thanks for all the updates Ryan. I find the 1.7M exposure interesting.

Yes thanks Ryan!
In the picture it looks like the riprap has been removed along the edge. I can't see what it looks like on the river side though, has the riprap been removed on that side? With the riprap gone I think the current will erode what is left over time. I'm always amazed at how strong the current is there. Launching in the river I've been caught off guard many times. It will be interesting to see what it looks like by July.

[Slappy]

spit2.JPG (307.52 KiB) Viewed 7124 times

Previously I had just focused on the Spit in this photo but having another look it's interesting to see the development at Nexen. They've finished forming the waterfront now and have filled in about 100m of new land out near the terminal. The windsports beach looks a bit different than their plan, I'd guess it's 80m wide.

NewNexen.JPG (150.48 KiB) Viewed 7124 times

Until Nexen access opens up I would assume wingers and poleboarder will just launch from the end of the Spit road and float down the river. Is there any need for wingers / polepoarders to get all the way to the Spit anymore? Change of sail perhaps? (seems like windsurfers are changing their sail every 30 min ocean sailing)

[8mdude]

Is there any need for wingers / polepoarders to get all the way to the Spit anymore? Change of sail perhaps? (seems like windsurfers are changing their sail every 30 min ocean sailing)

Squamish wind is more predictable than stormy winter wind so the sail size is also predictable. I usually just have 1 sail size (4.5m^2) that ranges from 18 to 25 knots.

For windsurfing I could launch from end of the spit road near the gate and just let the river current take me out and coming back I’d need some pretty steady wind to take me back near the gate, but with the new configuration I figured I could come back by east side of the dyke (no current) as long as I make it to the dyke I’m fine.

[raquo]

As an average-level windsurfer I don't think I'll be launching or drifting from the spit road. If anything, now it seems even more sketchy than before, both due to the wind and the flow, and my wind range with a given sail isn't as wide as some of the pros, so the potential for wasting time goes up too.

Also, side note, I think there's a general under-appreciation of underwater trap hazards in moving water, especially for wingers with their foils and unreleasable leashes. River SUP guys have generally learned their lesson already after a series of fatalities and near misses, now using quick-release leashes (and never on ankles), but I haven't seen much awareness of this in winging at all. People pushing themselves more into the river need to be more aware of such risks imo.