Shoal and Waterway Markers

The marking of shoals on the Lake and River has been done informally and inadequately in the past. That has all changed now with the formation of the GLPOA. The main phase of the waterway-marking project, led by Weldon McEachen (who was also the Association Treasurer at the time) was completed in Spring 06. Thirty-five official orange shoal markers, each stenciled with the letters GLPOA, were placed in the highest priority locations this spring. Additional shoal markers will be placed as the need is identified and funds permit.

Bryan Fraser helped Weldon by pouring concrete anchors with steel rings in them when he worked with concrete periodically during the winter as part of his construction business. Making 35 anchors is a lot of work.

To complement the shoal markers, four large waterway map signs have been erected at the main boat-launch sites: Deacon Bridge (a double sign with the River on one side and Lake on the other), Tramore Bridge (with just the River), Bonnechere Lodge and Island View Drive.

This is a costly venture. The buoys cost around $1,000 and the signs came in at almost $4,000. Offsetting the project expenses is the sale of advertising on the waterway map signs. The total annual income from the sign advertisements is about $2,500, meaning that the waterway-marking and signage project will pay for itself in two years.

The signs and buoys will help property owners and visitors to prepare themselves for safe boating on the Lake and River. Congratulations and thanks to Weldon and the others involved.

Dave Lemkay (L) and Weldon McEachen with a few of the markers that will be placed in the Lake and River this Spring.

Some members and directors of the association pose in front of one of the new marker signs for a picture that appeared in the Eganville Leader. From left: Gail McPhee, Bill Gardner, Bill Clark, Norma Bailey and Dave Lemkay (kneeling) Adrian Daley (kneeling) Leslie Moore, John McGuire and Weldon McEachen.

More recently, due to Covid-19 we had to rely heavily on Ron Rimmer, Don O’Reilly and Eric Weckworth to do the majority of the buoys on the lake. We would like to personally thank them for the weeks of work that they put in adding and removing buoys. There are a number of other wonderful volunteers that continue to remove and add buoys that are in close proximity to their properties and they are all very much appreciated!

The effectiveness of the waterway marking project depends on the knowledge and cooperation of all boaters. You can help in a number of ways.

• Do not tie up to a marker or obstruct other boaters view of a marker by anchoring close by to fish.

• If you see a marker that has broken free of its anchor, please retrieve it and contact the association to discuss how to fasten it more securely.

• You can dopt a marker that is close to your property by removing it in the fall for safekeeping. This would entail attaching a boat bumper to the cable for the winter and replacing the marker each spring. Please contact the association before removing a marker to let us know of your willingness to adopt one.

The map below shows the shoals marked by the GLPOA with orange buoys on Golden Lake.