It was sooooo cold!

I found this video on YouTube.com -- taken on December 13, 2009 from an unknown location, but it looks like it's not too far from Shorehill -- does anyone recognize the spot?

It you enlarge the video to full screen and watch carefully you can actually see the piling move as it struggles against the ice flow.

Good illustration of both the sustained cold temperature and the power of the combination of ice and tidal flow, which also damaged our pilings (see photos in the post below).

How Cold Was It?

December's cold weather was so cold that Hood Canal was covered in a layer of ice. Some Shorehill residents said it looked like the layer of ice went from North Shore to South Shore.

The ice further damaged our dock, one resident's water pump (and many other facilities on the canal); note the leaning piling.

And the ice was still around on the weekend after Christmas.

The cold weather had it scenic moments, such as in these photos taken near Tahuya.

Hood Canal Through A Winter Web As November Begins

DOCKS ARE OUT FOR THE WINTER

Thanks to an early morning crew of community volunteers, the docks were taken out this morning for winter repair and storage. Thanks so much to everyone who helped. Thanks to Tom and Sally for coordinating and making calls to get volunteers. The docks are being stored on Baja Vista in order that Tom and others can easily access them for desperately needed repairs. Hopefully we can put them back in May. Putting the docks in and out each year is another opportunity for you to offer to help. Between now and May, if you are here and would like to help, ask Tom if there is anything you can do to assist with repairs. Also plan to volunteer to help put them in during the month of May 2010. We'll gladly add you to the list and give you a call to remind you.

Thanks again to everyone who helped today!

Gayle

Blue Ribbons

Many community members have watched Sue knit her way through community meetings. You can see some of the results here.

Fall Work Party

The Fall Work Party and Community Meeting were held on September 12th 2009. There was a significant lack of attendance at this work party. The core group of membership who were there did an outstanding job and worked extra hard in an attempt to make up for those not in attendance. While there was a good amount of maintenance on the community accomplished, there were many things which had to be left unattended to. It is crucial for the long term sustainability of our community roads, water system, beach, docks, and landscape that we all participate as a community for the good of our community. Our Spring Work Party and Community meeting will be held May 1st 2010. I ask each of you to please mark your calendars and make plans now to be here on May 1st. Many major decisions relating to our docks, roads and water system will need to be made this upcoming year. It will take the contributions of all of us to achieve successful outcomes. We have a great community and it is up to all of us to keep it so.


The work party focused on clearing brush from roadsides to protect the roads from winter weather. It is essential that ALL community members make sure that ditches are kept clear of debris and remove weeds from cracks in the roads. Please pay extra attention to water runoff and flow through our culverts during the winter months.

The Board of Trustees meeting and the community meeting focused primarily on infrastructure: roads, docks and water facilities. Concerted efforts will continue toward planning for their repair, replacement and/or stabilization.

Roads: Grant consulted a friend with expertise in roads about the community roads. The expert advised to fill potholes and cracks, divert water away from the roads and to focus on maintenance. Grant, Dennis, Ron and Bill filled cracks and put sealer on a patch of road as a test to see how the material wears.

Docks: Brooke is obtaining bids on replacing the pilings, docks and piers, which are seriously deteriorated. The permitting process for replacement could take up to two years. The board is considering an assessment to pay for the project; any assessment will be put up for a community vote.

Water facilities: One of the tanks has a full-thickness crack. Pete will obtain a bid for repairs. Pete and Bill will investigate the possibility of lining the tank.

Bylaws: The board will mail or e-mail a proposal for bylaws revision. Community members will have until March 1, 2010, to submit further suggestions for revision. The community will vote on the revised bylaws at the May 2010 community meeting.

Please be sure to check the blog on a regular basis and stay attentive to happenings within the community over the winter months. You don't have to wait for the work party to do something you see that needs to be done. Every small effort contributes to our community maintenance efforts.

Send any comments, suggestions, or questions to Gayle at gaylerobbins@juno.com We welcome your input and appreciate and encourage your participation in these work parties and your involvement in your community.

Thanks again to all who did come and work on the 12th. Special thanks to Mike V. for his consultation and to all the Board members for the great work they do.

SEPTEMBER 12th FALL WORK PARTY & COMMUNITY MEETING

Fall Work Party NEXT SATURDAY September 12th - 8:30 am sign in at the beach.

Community Pot Luck - 4:30 pm at the beach.

Community Meeting - 5:30 pm at the beach.

SEE YOU ALL THERE!

Water Hose Left Running At The Beach

Tonight I stopped by the beach and someone had left the waterhose near the boat round about turned on full blast. It had been on for quite some time as the ground and gravel were soaked. Please be sure when you use it to turn it off and if you are there with children, please check it when you leave to be sure they didn't turn it on and leave it running.

This could have severly minimized or depleted our water supply and we would not have water. Please be sure whenever you leave the beach to check the water and make sure all sources are turned off.

It is up to all of us to protect our community resources.
Thank you for increasing your awareness and helping to protect our beach and water.

Gayle Robbins

Fall Work Party and Community Meeting

Our Fall Work Party and Community Meeting will be on Saturday, September 12th, commencing with sign-in at the beach at 8:30 am. Mark your calendars now and plan to come help maintain our community beach, roads and water system. We are looking forward to having a great turnout.

The community meeting and potluck will commence at 4:30 pm at the beach.

See you on the 12th!!!

Be Kind To Your Neighbors

One of Shorehill's great treasures is the beach. Community members and their guests are welcome to use the beach — just clean up after yourself so that others don't have to clean up after you.

• If you are smoking at the beach, bring an ashtray and take your butts and ashes with you.
• Clean up the bathroom if you use it.
• Take away any trash and litter.
• Clean up after your pets.
  

In recent weeks, a few community members have had the dis-pleasure of removing other people's trash and debris. Clean up after yourself to show respect to your neighbors and the community.

No, there are no trash cans at the beach. That's because when trash cans were available, people would use them to overflowing and no one would empty them. The community does not pay for trash pick-up at the beach. So, it is your responsibility to clean up after yourself and your guests so that the beach is a pleasant place for everyone.

Thank you all for being respectful of your community by adhering to these guidelines.

HOT (Almost) AUGUST NIGHTS!

In case you haven't been out lately, the canal is perfect. The weather is HOT and the water is WARM. Don't miss out on the best month of the year in our piece of paradise.

July 4!

The usual three rules for July 4 apply for July 4 so that everyone can have a safe and enjoyable holiday:

• Fireworks only on the beach; no fireworks within the community.
• No alcohol on the beach on July 4.
• Clean up after yourself, either after you are finished with your fireworks or on Saturday morning.

Please be careful on the beach. Supervise children closely, especially around fireworks. You are responsible for the actions of your family and your guests.

Please be sure to be responsible and clean up after your animals! Also, all dogs are to be leashed.

Limiting fireworks to the beach, restricting alcohol and cleaning up are designed for individual and community safety.

Also, please do not park boat trailers at the beach, or near the round about so as to make it difficult for others to utilize the area. All trailers should be parked on owners properties.

Have a great Fourth of July weekend!

Water Problem Resolved - 8:59 pm

A relay switch was the cause of the water outage. Nicholson Drilling has manually started the pump and will replace the faulty switch tomorrow morning. Within an hour the water tank should fill to a capacity that it can be used. You may use the water tonight. Please be cautious not to overuse until the tank has a few hours to refill. By tomorrow we should be back to normal.

Thanks to Ron, Tom, and Dennis for your help today.
Also Sally and Karen for helping to notify people.

Gayle

Water Outage - Tuesday 7:00 pm

We are currently experiencing a water outage throughout the community. PUD has been out to check the electricity to the bump. They have restored the electricity but believe there may be problems with the relays. Nicholson Drilling is on their way out to check the pump. We will keep you apprised. If you are able to turn off your water heater breaker, please do so until you are advised the water is back up and running. Any news will be posted on the blog. If you have additional questions you may call (360) 275-4038.

Thank you for your patience!

Gayle

Minutes Summary — May 2, 2009

This is a summary of the minutes from the May 2, 2009, community meeting. Complete minutes will be presented at the next meeting, in September.

Financial Report: The majority of the community promptly paid assessments for repairs and improvements to the beach following the December 2007 flood. The loan from the water fund was repaid.

Roads Report: Discussion continued on what to do with the roads. After much discussion it was acknowledged that we actually have two major cost projects we need to deal with, roads and docks.

The community voted to direct the board to create a five-year plan to build a fund to address infrastructure needs.

Water Report: One of the tanks has had a slow leak for some time but it seems that it has not changed. Northwest Water has made some improvements to wiring and the chlorinator. In September we should work on controlling the water coming down the hill so it doesn’t wash away more soil.

Other Business:

• The bylaws revision report was postponed until September.
• The proposed community flag would have cost several hundred dollars so the project was dropped.
• The cables for the driveway to the docks were cut. Some houses down the beach were broken into. Community members asked for an e-mail report on vandalism so they can check their properties. Community members were asked to be vigilant. · Darlene will pursue the channels to remove junk cars parked on one of the properties.
• Brooke will bring a bid on the docks to the September meeting.
• The board will meet sometime in the next 30 days.
• Elections: Darlene was elected as secretary; Karen was elected as treasurer; and Bill, Dennis B. and Corrine were elected as trustees.

The next work day and community meeting are scheduled for September 12.

Spring Work Party

A soggy but enthusiastic work party accomplished a lot during the spring clean-up weekend.

• Docks are in.
  
• Pete cleaned the water tank and repaired a crack.
• A large contingent planted the area by the boat launch.
• An even larger contingent pulled clover and other weeds from the lawn (feel free to pull weeds whenever you are on the beach).
  
• Dennis and Dennis worked on the irrigation and electrical systems, respectively.
• Several people spread bark on the newly planted areas and around existing plantings.
• The restrooms were beautifully cleaned.
• Brooke and Grant put together the outdoor shower.
• Brush was cleared along the roads, under the mailboxes and throughout the entry area.
  

Additionally, everyone enjoyed a potluck dinner and participated in the community meeting.

Work Party Tomorrow - MAY 2nd

Don't forget the work party and community meeting tomorrow, May 2nd, 8:30 am - 6:00 pm.
Sign-in begins at 8:30 am at the beach. Community meeting and potluck will begin at 4:30 pm at the beach.

PRAY FOR SUNSHINE!

WORK PARTY NEXT SATURDAY MAY 2ND!

Saturday, May 2nd will be our Spring work party and community meeting. The work party sign in will begin at 8:30 am at the beach and the community meeting and potluck will begin at 4:00 pm at the beach.

Please plan to come and be part of the collaborative efforts that keep our water system functioning properly, our roads and beach well maintained and special projects that continue to improve community assets.

Saturday is also opening day of shrimping season so we will need all the help we can get!

If you happen to be here on Friday, the plan is to put the docks in on Friday. If you will be available to help please give Ron or Tom a call and let them know.

It will be great to see everyone and work together to clean up the residuals of winter! Please plan to come!

MARCH ON THE CANAL!

What an amazing March at the Canal. We've been enticed by sunshine and hints of Spring. A few flowers are starting to check out the climate. And, last weekend another snow storm complete with cold, cold nights and days reminding us of the winter we've had which closely mirrored our economical turns and twists. Our stimulus: SPRING IS ALMOST HERE!

Spring Work Party will be May 2nd

Beginning at 8:30 am at the beach

Community Meeting and Potluck begin at 4:00 pm

Location to be determined, based on weather.

More to come as to projects. For now please save the date on your calendar. It would be great to see everyone as we wake up the community and greet the spring sunshine.

In the interim, just a few pictures of this past week on the canal:

SIGNS OF SPRING

SNOW IN THE MIDDLE OF MARCH

AND OUR POT OF GOLD AT THE END OF A RAINBOW!

WELCOME TO THE LUNGOS AND BENDICKSONS!

OUR LATEST COMMUNITY MEMBERS

KEEP PRAYIN FOR THE TULIPS!

HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL IN MAY!

A Fine, Foggy Morning at Shorehill

Thanks to Sandy for these great photos of Hood Canal in the fog.

Weather Update

A report from a Shorehill resident as of the evening of January 7: All of the usual flooding suspects were within their banks. Although it was raining pretty good, things seemed to be holding up well. This area can stand quite a lot of rain, and, after last year's events, Mason County has upgraded culvert sizes and cleaned out clogged areas. It also appears that the county is being cautious during the current storm by surveying and cleaning where necessary.

One question is whether the section of North Shore Road at about milepost 11 closed by last year's deluge will hold up. The bank is precariously unstable.