Port Renfrew Marina Report May 24/14

It is hard to believe that Port Renfrew Marina has been open nearly a month already. The season is starting and already feels like it's going fast. Most of our seasonals have arrived and people are settling in along with the arrivals of new customers eager to experience fishing in that area. Fishing is still very good for halibut mainly in the area between Nitnat and Carmanah. There is no need to go to the "chicken ranch" as yet. We feel that halibut fishing is one of the best years in quite a few years. There are a few salmon coming in and they are mostly in the teens, things should pick up for salmon in June. Crabbing is still good, you will see good days and off ones when the commercial guys hit the area but for the most part it's still a predictable catch that you can expect. We at the marina apologize for the phones. If you have tried to contact us over the last two weeks and got no where then you aren't alone. It is very frustrating for all of us. We are out of the Telus area and they aren't interested in coming there as yet since there isn't the population or demand to make it profitable for them. Our system when put in was new but is now older and the main issue is we are not wireless so our phone lines and internet go down a fair bit. If you get a busy signal or it refuses to connect you then you will know it is the phones. This happens through out the year. Thanks for bearing with it as we have no other options at this time.

If you read the last report then you already know and if not then you will be aware that the Davey Derby has been cancelled this year. This derby was a lot of fun and so popular that the marina is hoping to hold a smaller derby this July to help dull the sting of missing it. This news of the cancellation of the Davey Derby came to us just two weeks ago so the derby we are planning is very impromptu. We have yet to come up with a name for it but it will be a derby for the largest Chinooks caught and there will be a prize for first, second and third place. The date of the derby so far is planned for July 12th and 13th. The tickets will be sold at the marina office and will be $30.00 a rod with $5.00 of each ticket going to Salmon Enhancement. The monies collected will then be divided for the winners. The amount decided on how many tickets sold. Sorry, there will be no side prizes or dinner, etc like we do for the Labor Day Derby. That derby is still going on as it does every year as will the Coho Derby in the first weekend of Oct. Tickets will only be available a short time before the derby. More info will be coming and hopefully a name for it and confirmation on dates, etc. Anyone wanting to know more can call the marina 250 483-1878 a little later on.

An important note to remember is that as posted, Port Renfrew Marina is no longer able to sell fishing licenses at the office. Fisheries has stopped offering hard copy licenses that they supplied to businesses. The only way to purchase or acquire a fishing license is to do so online. You can do this at home if you have a computer and printer but also anywhere public that offers access to customers such as a public library or a business such as Island Outfitters. We have heard that Canadian Tire offers this service also. Please make sure you arrive with your license before coming to the marina and if you aren't able to get one before coming then you will need to find a place in the town where access is allowed to the public. If you are speaking to anyone regarding fishing in the marina's area please give them the heads up on this new situation and hopefully we can get this news out there. We have been selling licenses ever since we have been there so this will be a big transition for some people and we do apologize for anyone coming in the future and getting this bad news. Unfortunately we have no other alternatives to offer people so they can avoid this issue.

We at Port Renfrew Marina look forward to seeing are returning customers and meeting all our new ones. May everyone have a great year filled with good fishing and safe boating!

Bud & Rex

Port Renfrew Marina Report May 16/14

Port Renfrew Marina has been open now for a little over two weeks. Many of our customers are coming in and getting set up for the new season. There are also many new people inquiring so if you are a past seasonal please contact us if you haven't already as the deadline for confirming your site has passed. The opening season is off to a great start, the halibut fishing is going very well and crabbing is great also. The area most popular for halibut fishing is mainly between Nitnat and Carmanah. There is nothing like the first fresh catches of the season for both of those. If fisheries is correct this could be a good year for salmon fishing also as they have predicted record runs in some areas. If you have stayed at Port Renfrew Marina you will have likely noticed that we post that all recyclables collected go to helping a food bank down in Bucerias, Mexico where we usually holiday in the winter. This organization is run by a couple who now live there year round and they are tireless in their efforts to help the poor there. They are good people that take nothing for their time and costs such as fuel, etc. They feed over 140 families and try to help them find work if possible.

As many of you may know the Davey Derby usually held at Port Renfrew Marina has been cancelled. Audie Williams who has organized and run this derby for the past 13 years has retired himself from this huge job and as it grew in popularity it was a very huge job! Since this derby will be missed by so many, Port Renfrew Marina is planning a simple derby in July to help fill that gap because who doesn't love a derby!? So the plan is to have a derby the weekend of July 12th and 13th. We have no name for the derby as yet and it is in the early planning stages and we will confirm all the info in a week. This derby will be somewhere in the lines of the Port Renfrew Marina's Coho derby only the fish in question will be springs of course. A two day event with a percentage of the ticket sales going to first, second and third place winners. Keep an eye out for upcoming info once we have worked out the details.

Bud & Rex

Port Renfrew Report April 24/14

The new season of 2014 is up on us for Port Renfrew Marina. We open officially on May 1st as we do every year but if you come out to the marina this weekend you will find us out there. We are in the process of slowly getting things organized for the season. Here's hoping the weather is decent, we do know that fishing is good for halibut and crab. There was a 24 pound spring caught last week so there are a few of them around also. So if a little ... or a lot of rain falls at least there is fish out there. Unfortunately, even with the heavy winter rains the sandbar seems to be in the same condition as last year, if you are unsure of how to get out the river please check with us in the office. Fishing is expected to be possibly off the charts this year as fisheries has predicted over 73 million in Sockeye alone and it appears that Nitnat is also predicted to have a unprecedented amount of Chinnok this year. It could be a record year! There are a couple of things new that we would like to inform our customers of. One is we discovered just two weeks ago that fisheries is not selling hard paper fishing licenses anymore. This means they are only available on line which for Port Renfrew Marina that means we will no longer be able to sell licenses to our customers. PLEASE make sure you purchase your license before you come to Renfrew. You can do this at home, probably the easiest, or at any public place where there is use of a computer and printer. We apologize for the inconvenience but it is not possible for us to do licenses this way.

Another big change this year is there will be no Davey Derby this year. Audie Williams has done this huge job for 13 years and has retired himself now. Unless someone steps up to take on this endeavor there will be no Davey derby. At this point it is not scheduled. This was a fun derby with awesome prizes so it will be missed but we guess all good things do come to an end at some point in time. A big thanks to Audie for all he did over the years. Port Renfrew Marina is still planning on having the Labor Day Derby on the long weekend and the Coho Derby the first weekend in Oct. that date to be determined.

We want to take this time to thank a few people who donated their time to help us put the docks back in for the year. A big thank you goes out to Reid Warren, Dave Mills, Odd Johansen and Eric Eckdahl.

As every year we ask that all seasonals and even monthly customers to please contact us as soon as possible to let us know if they are returning and wanting their spot. This is critical as we have new people every year waiting for a spot and are anxious to get in. The phone number at the marina will be in operation on April 26th, the number is 250 483-1878 or you can call Desi our caretaker at 250 483-1486 and leave a message. A reminder that anyone with power must have a large cord of size 10 or 12 to keep the power safe. Anyone using small cords or many extension cords will be unplugged as it is very unsafe and causes power surges an can even start a fire.

Please review our rates page. Everything is the same as last year except our seasonal rate has gone up $100.00 for the season.

We look forward to meeting our new customers and getting to know them and we welcome back all our regular customers and look forward to seeing everyone again. We will have the same familiar faces there with Knut helping out also. Hears to having an excellent year with good safe fishing and maybe calm seas, some sun and warm skies thrown in if possible!

Bud & Rex

Port Renfrew Marina Report April 12/14

The time has rolled around again for the 2014 fishing season for Port Renfrew Marina to begin very soon. With beautiful weather coming this early in spring it makes all of us want to get out there and enjoy fishing on the ocean and all the beauty around it.  The marina officially opens on May 1st but we will be out there getting things in order April 25th.  We are all hoping for a great fishing year and if the fisheries are accurate it would seem that this year may be a record one for salmon. They have predicted over 73 million Sockeye alone for this year. Those numbers are the largest ever. So far in the coming months we have crabbing and halibut fishing to look forward to. In this year there will be a few changes for our customers. The big thing is that unfortunately Port Renfrew marina will no longer be able to sell fishing licenses. This has just come to our attention as each year fisheries sends out information of setting up licenses on line but we have always informed them that wasn't possible for us but this year we were recently told that they no longer will be doing hard copy paper licenses. The marina has no service to provide customers with online access. We do not have a strong enough signal to run the phones and ATM and as many of you know we often have them go down on us.  We have looked into it but it is just not feasible for us to do this so we are hoping we can get the word out to everyone to PLEASE purchase your licenses elsewhere. This can be done anywhere there is public use of a computer with Internet and a printer, including anyone with that in their home. There should be access to use in Port Renfrew the town but NOT at the marina. All home and businesses on the town side of the bridge have wireless internet but we do not. We are extremely sorry and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause our customers.

The other news is that there will be no Davey Derby this year.  Audie Williams has stepped down from the huge job of organizing this derby. We all want to thank Audie for his years of working so hard on this derby, only someone who has been deeply involved in this kind of work can truly understand the commitment and time it takes to put on a fundraiser that size. It will be missed as it was a great derby and lots of fun and did so much good for many communities.

For the new season at Port Renfrew Marina we are asking for all our seasonals who have not already contacted us to please do so asap to confirm their sites for the coming year. We have new customers asking for sites and we need to know which ones may be available. You can reach us by email or phone. The office phone is 250 483-1878 and will be working on April 26th.You can also contact our caretaker, Desi Hatchard at 250 483-1486. Anyone planning to come out before opening to check on their units in storage must speak to Desi first to be assured that the gate is not locked.

At this time we at Port Renfrew Marina want to welcome back all our old customers and look forward to meeting new ones arriving. We hope you all had a good safe and healthy winter and look forward to seeing all those friendly faces soon.

Bud & Rex

Port Renfrew Marina Report Oct.16/13

The 2013 fishing season for Port Renfrew Marina is officially over.The season overall was a good one. Chinook catches were very good with more over 40 pound springs than the last two years. Coho fishing was the best in many years but was cut short by the heavier than usual rains in September. It really was too bad as it was shaping up to be the best one ever. Halibut was good as always with the "chicken ranch" giving up fish all summer long. Crabbing was disappointing this year with 3 commercial boats sitting out front, not leaving much for the sports fishermen. Closing up this year went well, with fantastic weather. A big thanks go out to Odd Johansen, Todd Garrett and Reid Warren for all their help with putting the docks away for the winter. We ask that anyone who has units or boats not arranged for storage to contact the caretaker, Desi Hatchard, for pickup. The gate is kept locked so you need to contact him for access. The number to reach him is 250 483-1486, the marina number will not be taking calls. Please be aware that if left, storage fees will apply. We also ask that anyone with an outstanding account send their payments as soon as possible so we can be prompt getting the marina shut down for the season. Any questions or concerns please email us at info@portrenfrewmarina.com.

For those of you who are already wondering when they can come back to fish, the marina will reopen on May 1st 2014. Any seasonal customers MUST contact us before May 10th if they want to keep their spots otherwise we will assume they are available. There is a high demand for sites so we can't leave them as an unknown.

All of us at the marina wish all our customers a safe and healthy winter and look forward to seeing you back next year. We also want to thank our customers for their loyalty and their efforts to support us by buying local and helping keep businesses in Port Renfrew doing well. We want all of you to know it does not go unnoticed and we are grateful. Here's to another year to come being even better than the last!

Bud & Rex