The Dying Clam Gardens of Waiatt Bay

For thousands of years, First Nations have relied upon the traditional clam gardens of Waiatt Bay, which contains 40 culturally modified clam beds. In the last few years we've been hearing reports that the clam gardens are dying, so we decided to go see for ourselves. Waiatt Bay is of particular interest as it is in the middle of the Wild Salmon Narrows.  

As we entered Waiatt Bay on the east side of Quadra Island, clam gardens were evident  in every nook and cranny possible, where for thousands of years First Nations worked these sea gardens by rolling the large rocks down to the low tide line in order to improve the habitat for the clams and cockles they harvest. Immediately upon setting foot on shore, the elders went to work digging clams, as their ancestors before them…and hopefully their children after them!  

We took a look at several of the clam gardens, and at first glance the clams seemed healthy. However the beaches were full of whole empty shells, which suggests many had died fairly recently. Butter clams seemed to be most affected, while the deeper little necks appeared fine. 

The elders slowly filled a few buckets until it was time to head back. The clams collected appeared to be healthy and although the abundance of clams at all the sites we visited was greatly reduced from historical levels, they were able to collect enough to look forward to a good clam dinner. As former Homalco Chief Darren Blaney began opening the butter clams harvested on the apparently healthy beaches, he found them all inedible. The clams were not good at all; rather than a nice healthy pink, they were blackened and sickly looking inside.

It’s not clear why these clam gardens are dying, but the Cyrus Rocks open net-cage fish farm only 1.5 km from the mouth of the bay is a prime suspect. This is the same type of impact being witnessed on beaches near fish farms in the Broughton Archipelago. While we await the results of a study being conducted there, perhaps we should be looking more closely at the beaches near the farms in this area as well. 

Learn more about Waiatt Bay, the Wild Salmon Narrows, and the Cyrus Rocks fish farm.

Hands Across the Sands

Thanks to EJ Hurst from New Society Publishers (www.newsociety.com) for getting this information together.

On June 26th, people around the world are going to the beach. They are not going just to soak up the sun, rub their toes through the sand, listen to the calming wash of waves on the shore. They are going to hold hands, and not just with their sweetie for a romantic stroll along the waves.

Hands Across the Sand is an international movement to oppose offshore oil drilling and champion clean energy and renewables. It is made of people of all walks of life and crosses political affiliations.

Hands Across the Sand are calling on people around the world to stage a simple and peaceful action.

* Go to your beach on June 26 at 11 AM in your time zone.
* Form lines in the sand and at 12:00, join hands.

The image is powerful, the message is simple. NO to Offshore Oil Drilling, YES to Clean Energy.

Hands Across the Sand started February 13, 2010 in Florida, two months
before the Deepwater Horizon explosion. Thousands of Floridians representing 60 towns and cities and over 90 beaches joined hands to protest the efforts by the Florida Legislature and the US Congress to lift the ban on oil drilling in the near and off shores of Florida. Florida’s Hands Across The Sand event was the largest gathering in the history of Florida united against oil drilling. Thousands joined hands from Jacksonville to Miami Beach and Key West to Pensacola Beach, each against oil drilling in Florida’s waters.

There are 2 "Hands Across the Sands" Events planned so far for Vancouver. Both are for this Saturday June 26 at 11.00 am

English Bay: Meet at 1795 Beach Ave., just south of Denman.

Organizer: Fiona Bowie BCAAOSD@gmail.com

Kits Beach: "From Burrard Bridge, through Jericho Beach all the way to the endowment lands!!! As far as the low or high tide allows"
Organizer: Jenny McDonnell chippersmom@hotmail.com

In Victoria it's at Willows Beach in Victoria/Oak Bay also at 11 am this Saturday July 26.

Here is a video from Surf Rider Foundation who were part of the February 13th event.

To register or find an event near you go to Hands Across the Sand.com