The Rock Report - March 2008
The Skinnydipper Recreation Club finally returned to the Newton Wave Pool after nearly a five year absence following a victorious court battle with the city of Surrey. This nude event attracted almost a hundred swimmers, even though it was held on short notice during a long weekend when borders were clogged and many people were away on holidays. For those who missed the fun, the Skinnydippers have announced two more scheduled swims to be held on Saturday, April 26th and Saturday, May 24th from 9:30 to 11:00 p.m. Please let the Skinnydippers know if you're going to attend so they can schedule the appropriate number of lifeguards.
Paul Andreassen, President,
Skinnydipper Recreation Club
While ignoring the safety risk for an entire year, the BNSF finally properly repaired the landslide detector fence where it was previously damaged by mudslides in March of 2007. This happened only after SUN sent Transport Canada a story from the Peace Arch News detailing these shoddy and unsafe repairs that were originally done in what is best described as a baling wire fix. SUN is still waiting for the 400 metres of bluff between Bayview St. and the Crescent Rock boulder to have the fence extended through this unprotected area that has been the scene of 4 mudslides in the past 20 years including the one detailed in the next paragraph.
The TSB has finished their accident investigation into a collision between a BNSF freight train and a mudslide on March 11, 2007 that went unreported as per safety regulations and was subsequently denied by the BNSF. This report has been sent to Transport Canada and SUN has filed an access to information request to obtain this document which should reveal if dangerous goods including chlorine gas were being carried on this train during of heavy precipitation, soil saturation and extreme landslide risk when SUN believes this rail corridor should be closed to all rail traffic.
The Nav Canada issue was front and centre this month with the City of Surrey's Working Group, including SUN president Don Pitcairn, meeting to find ways to reduce the jet noise pollution affecting Crescent Rock Beach and neighbourhoods around Surrey. Across Boundary Bay from the nude beach, residents of Delta announced the formation of AANOID (Against Aircraft NOise in Delta), joining SCAANS in Surrey in the battle against this monopolistic corporation that unilaterally imposed flight path changes over these communities.
Metro Vancouver's board of directors voted to ship up to 1.5 million tonnes of Lower Mainland garbage via the BNSF railway to Washington State for disposal. This could mean 60,000 boxcars of garbage travelling on the rails above Crescent Rock Beach, resulting in four extra trains per day. Coupled with the two extra Amtrak trains already planned, you can expect to see a 50% increase in rail traffic on this corridor in the near future unless a home-grown solution to our garbage problems can be found or the railway gets relocated to a safer inland location away from the peninsula's beaches.
PayPal recently cancelled the Federation of Canadian Naturist's (FCN) account, calling their organization 'prurient', which is defined as impure in thought, having lustful cravings and desires, or lewd. While slandering the FCN, PayPal will gladly take your payment to purchase online all makes of pornography and adult novelties. Besides being hypocritical, their decision smacks of intolerance and smears all naturist and nudist organizations across the world. It is hoped that SUN members will stop using PayPal's services and send emails admonishing them for this ridiculous and arbitrary decision while FCN considers its legal options.
On a sad note, the Crescent Rock boulder was targeted by vandals this month, tagging the top of this noted glacial erratic with red spray paint in what can best be described as a juvenile scribble. SUN members will be cleaning the paint off and we hope that this is an isolated event. It was desecration such as this which led to the famed White Rock boulder being painted in white marine enamel. SUN would prefer that the Crescent Rock boulder remain in a natural state, much like the folks that visit Surrey's naturist beach in the summer in search of that perfect tan.