Aug 23 - Victoria, port host to plastic-plucking ship

Good morning !

Our first story today made me go to my pantry to count the plastic bottles of water I’ve got stored for the Apocalypse—or the next hot day.

I mean, I knew a little bit about this garbage island thing… but the more I think about it, maybe I should be done with bottled water.

— Mark

Today’s approx. read time: 6 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today:  🌦️ 22 / 11

Tomorrow: ☀️ 23 / 12

Day after: ⛅ 23 / 12

7-day forecast

🌫️ Air quality: Low risk today (2/10). Current smoke forecast.

🚘️ Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

Sister ships stationed in Victoria wage war on floating rubbish

If you see two medium-sized, slightly rusty, blue service ships with yellow cranes moored by the Breakwater, consider them two of the Pacific Ocean’s besties.

Written in large, white letters on the Maersk Trader and Maersk Tender is The Ocean Cleanup, revealing their connection to an international project—with Victoria its main port—to rid the Pacific Ocean of as much plastic and garbage as possible.

Last week, the ships chugged in after cleanup crews pulled one of their biggest hauls (11,340 kilograms) from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a huge accumulation of floating litter—mostly plastic—and the largest of the planet’s five ocean patches. It’s three times the size of France.

“The catches have been getting larger, which is good, all things considered,” Alan Dunton, a volunteer member of Ocean Cleanup’s communications team, tells Capital Daily.

Using systems of netting as long as 2.09km, the ships collected 57,000kg (63 tons) over the last month and 4,851,312kg (5,347 tons) of plastic in total.

A lot of the garbage is from commercial shipping, such as netting and buoys, but it’s a veritable plastic-palooza out there at the patch, halfway to Hawaii from here.

“They find literally everything,” Dunton says. “Toilet seats, kids’ toys, bottles, I mean, you name it, it’s out there.”

Much of the garbage originates from our rivers, Dunton tells Capital Daily.

The smaller, lighter stuff tends to sink or break down and wash up on shorelines, he says. But a lot of the rest makes its way to the Pacific and then rides the gyres—a large system of rotating ocean currents—to the garbage patch.

The ships used to use San Francisco as their main port but they’ve been operating from Victoria since a short period prior to the pandemic.

It’s here the crew (approximately 22 on each vessel) will test new systems and stock up on food, supplies “and whatever you need for a crew,” Dunton says. The ships are scheduled to leave Ogden Point today at 6pm.

Keep track of the cleanup here.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Provide input on upcoming street upgrades: Surveys and a Q&A forum on the 2024-25 City of Victoria street designs will be available until Oct. 10.

NEWS

Eventide celebrates a decade of music with final summer show

For a decade now, the Eventide concert series has brought the weird and wonderful to downtown Victoria.

CFUV, UVic’s campus radio station, began working with the City of Victoria to host live music shows with an alternative focus back in 2014 when Darb Erickson, Victoria's arts, culture and events liaison at the time, reached out to the CFUV station manager to host music shows with a more eclectic lineup during the week.

“He’s always been one of the arts and culture people that’s into weirder music than other [music shows] put on by the city,” jokes Troy Lemberg, CFUV music director, who began volunteering with the series when it first launched.

The concert series has since brought the experimental sounds of noise, punk metal, tech house, and more to the public, with shows now located at Centennial Square.

Performances are free and accessible to anyone passing by—an aspect that makes Lemberg proud.

“Unlike some festivals, we don’t put up big gates or fences to block out other people who might just be around,” Lemberg says. “It exposes people to different forms of art, for anyone walking through [the area], especially youth.”

Lemberg says the series presents artists—especially local ones—who often are pushed underground—to audiences who would otherwise never experience them.

“It was wild to see Griefer perform in the square—he’s iconic in the noise community here, but you only ever see him play in people's basements. But here he was doing his noise set in an open space,” Lemberg says.

He says the series has brought out regular fans, including families, who catch the weekly performances regardless of the genre.

Eventide’s final show for the summer—and a celebration of 10 years—takes place today at 6pm in its usual spot in Centennial Square. If you can’t make it tonight, there’s always next summer—Lemberg confirms they’ll be back for another season.

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⭐️ Capital Picks

🗑️ Clean up, do right, feel good: Join other environmental superheroes to remove invasive plants, restore natural areas and enhance biodiversity in the Pulling Together Volunteer Program. Browning Park. Doris Page Park. Bruce Hutchison Park. Konukson Park. Peacock Hill Park. Look here for times.

😊 Now Hiring: Delivery Driver at Otto Logistics.

🗞️ In Other News

Overdoses now #1 killer of 10-18-year-olds
A BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) report says last year was the first time overdoses—most often involving fentanyl—were the leading cause of death in the 10 to 18 age group. Accidents were the leading cause of death in that age in 2021. [Vancouver Sun]

After 50 years in captivity, orca dies before release
Lolita, also known as Tokitae and ​​Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut, was one of dozens herded into Penn Cove, 50km southeast of Victoria, in 1970. The orca was the last Southern Resident in captivity and was close to being returned to the Whidbey Island waters, but died Friday at age 57 at the Miami Seaquarium. [Seattle Times]

Cancel Cowichan River fishing opening: advocates
Fishing season starts Sept. 1 but drought and warming waters have produced a 6.4km “dead zone” in the river where thousands of dead fry have been found. [Times Colonist]

Some 200 buildings heavily damaged in Okanagan fires
Most of the properties are in West Kelowna, with higher numbers expected. The emergency management ministry says more than 27K people in BC are under evacuation order and more than 35K are on evacuation alert. Travel to BC's southern Interior has been restricted. [CBC]

C’mon, ‘Zuck, drop the news ban, says BC premier
Premier David Eby implores Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to allow critical news information about BC’s wildfires on Facebook and Instagram. [CTV]

Feds want to cull invasive deer from Sidney Island
Parks Canada says it will need to fully eradicate the European fallow deer to restore Sidney Island’s ecosystem, since population control has not been a sufficient approach. The island’s deer cull has been divisive, with some residents questioning the projected $5.9M cost. [Times Colonist]

🤝 Now Hiring

Thinking of making your next career move? Let us help!

• Payroll Clerk at The Butchart Gardens

• Cooks at The Butchart Gardens

• Christmas Installers at The Butchart Gardens

• On-Call Administrative Assistant at Fernwood Neighbourhood Resource Group

• Accounting Technician at Westin Bear Mountain Resort & Spa

• Digital Marketing Specialist at Westin Bear Mountain Resort & Spa

• Associate Dentist at Oaklands Dental

Looking for more openings? See 40+ jobs open now on YYJobs.

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🗓️ Things to do

🎭 Victoria Fringe Festival: Local, national, and international performers will feature in a series of indie theatre shows across nine venues beginning today until Sept. 3. Sample a two-minute preview of every show today at Market Square, 4:45pm.

🍅 Capital region residents are invited to attend a $5 introductory workshop to learn about gardening with drought-resistant native plants. Register here, and join us on Sept. 16, 17, 30, or Oct. 1st.*

🎥 Jules at The Vic Theatre: The drama comedy about an alien whose crash leads to chaos and adventure, shows today, 5:15pm.

🎤 Garden City Harmony: Join the drop-in choir today at the Cameron Bandshell at Beacon Hill Park, 5:30-7:30pm.

🎸 The Ecclestons & John Gogo and Duke & Goldie at Butchart Gardens: The two groups will perform tonight on the open-air stage, 8pm.

🎥 Outdoor movie series: Bring a blanket and snacks to watch Twister tonight at Bullen Field, 8:30pm.

*Sponsored Listing

👀 In Case You Missed It

Island marmots arrive at Alberta breeding centre: Seventeen pups born this year will breed at the Archibald Biodiversity Centre before eventually returning to the Island. [Capital Daily]

Tuesday’s headlines: Falaise Crescent mural repainted and expanded, land parcel returned to W̱SÁNEĆ, parklets pop up in three downtown locations, and more. [Aug. 22]

Try some ice cream to help deal with hot summer days. Tasting Victoria rounded up some of the best local options for the cool treat. Or grab one of the city’s most refreshing drinks.

50-artist outdoor graffiti jam in Esquimalt: From now until the Sept. 4 finale, artists will be sprucing up the Trackside Art Gallery with large murals painted on warehouses along the E&N Rail Trail. [Vic News]

That’s it!

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