New Hovercraft Terminal in Port Weller

[Dave]

So fyi to all members, the city of St. Catharines is proposing a hovercraft terminal just north of Sunset beach (Lombardy Ave.).Here is the link https://hoverlinkontario.com..

So you now have a hovercraft running a path 18hrs a day,365 days a year, right through one of the prime spring time trolling areas on south shore.. Imagine trolling this area now and 48 crossings a day of 180 passengers..I'm much more concerned since I live 1.5 miles from this terminal site....Apparently runs quieter than a dishwasher, I hope so ,I can hear SeaDoo's buzzing the beach from home...

 

Heres details of an Open House (Community Information Session)

Grantham Lions Club,732 Niagara st.,St. Catharines,Thursday September 29 2022,Time:  6:00pm - 8:00pm....  

[smerchly]

For those who commute from here to TO it should save them time , money and certainly be safer than driving on the hwy.

They shouldn't put out much wake and should be out of the trolling area in a few minutes. Some of the seadooers are idiots !

[Dave]

Good that you do see some positivity out of this.As a local here, I'm interested where 180 people are going to park, and 

how 180 people are going to get shuttled out of here, per hour! In all honesty I'm tired of the urbanization of our waterway shorelines...So many great fishing spots have been lost to the "beat down" of the shoreline..Don't even get me started on the Grand..In my world there would be a none urbanization buffer for a kilometre around our lakes and rivers...Quiet as a dishwasher my butt, sound travels over water...Getting buzzed every 1/2 hour by hovercraft while trolling Port Weller...

[smerchly]

Actually , I thought they would use a jet boat  since they only run during the summer . Port Dalhousie seems like a more likely place for the hovercraft since there's a large parking lot  there ,  and I know quite well how many of my old fishing/swimming spots are now history .  

[Dave]

Smerch, the website says 365 days a year operation.I would imagine you can run hovercraft over ice..I would assume a Jet boat is much nosier than hovercraft.I feel thats how they're trying to bill this, a noise free solution, and eco friendly.. 

We are talking 180 people crossing 48 times a day..Passengers will need to park here to go there, and the incoming passengers will need to be shuttled out, the math on this is huge...I really can't imagine a hovercraft flying in and out a Port marina every 1/2 hour with the boaters wanting to enjoy Port.

[Tyler0420]

46 minutes ago, Dave said:

Smerch, the website says 365 days a year operation.I would imagine you can run hovercraft over ice..I would assume a Jet boat is much nosier than hovercraft.I feel thats how they're trying to bill this, a noise free solution, and eco friendly.. 

We are talking 180 people crossing 48 times a day..Passengers will need to park here to go there, and the incoming passengers will need to be shuttled out, the math on this is huge...I really can't imagine a hovercraft flying in and out a Port marina every 1/2 hour with the boaters wanting to enjoy Port.

I don’t think they’ll be going across much ice. Lake o doesn’t really freeze on the south shore not sure about Toronto area. With the hovercraft running 18 hours a day not much time for the ice to form. 

[smerchly]

I'm surprised they would have that many people using it . I think they will have to check out the parking situation , or bus people in from another location .

If the return trip price was low enough , I might try some pike fishing in T.O.Harbour .....   

[LostLure]

I think they’re grossly overestimating just how many people are going to use it. 
 

I live a 3 minute walk from the beach, I’ve honestly no idea how they’re going to work out the logistics of putting that much traffic down Arthur Street, I’m not so sure that anyone else has and it’ll become a nightmare for locals who live around this area. 
 

On a positive note, getting into Toronto for Leafs and Jays games will be easier, and if they construct a pier into to lake to launch the craft from, the structure might attract some fish. 

[bigugli]

This isn't the first time they've tried running a commuter service from St Catharines to Toronto.  All previous efforts were financial failures.  Without seeing a real plan with substance to address a number of key issues. I expect a fairly similar result.

[Fish Farmer]

I wonder how long before some boater will be run over would be my first thought and as some have mentioned parking issues.

 

[verado]

I agree with bigugli. They advertise a 35 minute crossing but that's the actual time for the high speed run under good conditions. What they neglect to tell you is the wait to board and leave the dock, then there is the slow speed taxi to where you can open it up. Then, when you arrive at Toronto Harbour, there's the slow speed meander to the docking area, the time to secure the craft and disembark. The 35 minute run becomes more like 2 hours in actual time. Plus, you have to drive to Port Weller, park your car then wait to board. In Toronto you have to leave the boat and then secure some sort of transportation to your actual destination, all this in often inclement weather. Tourists might do it once just for the experience but they are dreaming if they think they will attract daily business commuters. As bigugly said, it has been tried many times in the past and they all failed.

[smerchly]

Just now, Fish Farmer said:

I wonder how long before some boater will be run over would be my first thought and as some have mentioned parking issues.

 

I was thinking the fog days , evenings etc.  The craft would have the latest electronics , hopefully able to detect  small craft in its path .

They may bring all the anglers here from T.O.  (save on parking fees)   

 I'll go with Bruce also .....and what may happen if covid #8 rears it's ugly head again ?  

[Tyler0420]

50 minutes ago, verado said:

I agree with bigugli. They advertise a 35 minute crossing but that's the actual time for the high speed run under good conditions. What they neglect to tell you is the wait to board and leave the dock, then there is the slow speed taxi to where you can open it up. Then, when you arrive at Toronto Harbour, there's the slow speed meander to the docking area, the time to secure the craft and disembark. The 35 minute run becomes more like 2 hours in actual time. Plus, you have to drive to Port Weller, park your car then wait to board. In Toronto you have to leave the boat and then secure some sort of transportation to your actual destination, all this in often inclement weather. Tourists might do it once just for the experience but they are dreaming if they think they will attract daily business commuters. As bigugly said, it has been tried many times in the past and they all failed.

Don’t worry guys they have it all under control ahahhahahahahha. It will be a total success. 

[Dave]

I've fished for much of my 60 years in this area..I'm tired of the exploitation and urbanization of our local waters.Starting with the helicopters, then the jet boats,Great wolf lodge.The Niagara river was almost a wilderness setting when I grew up.Don't fish certain sections of the Grand any more because I'm bombarded by rafts and rubber duckies all summer long, courtesy of Grand River Rafting company.Lets develop a new gated community on the shore of Lake Ontario,then put up no parking signs, and remove your right to access..I'm getting tired of the " beat down" of our local waters..The hovercraft route just another annoyance...Can't fight urbanization I guess but IMO we sure haven't planned some of it right..

[smerchly]

I agree Dave .....I can go back to the fifties when ships were passing through the old canal into the Henley pond to be scapped out at that old steel dock area. We spent our summers at "Michgan Beach" which was all sand and is now a marina and No Fishing . I could list many spots where we spend our days fishing and swimming at the waterfront . For the past few years they have dumped big rocks against the piers at Port Dal. which ruined our easy access , easy fish netting etc. 

Of course the answer is , as usual , follow the money . Sports fishing from shore doesn't bring in much revenue . So many  have water craft for fishng and pleasure which brings in big bucks . Expect to pay higher parking and launch fees in the future as they got us in a corner now. 

[Tyler0420]

anyone going Tonight?

[bigugli]

3 hours ago, Dave said:

I've fished for much of my 60 years in this area..I'm tired of the exploitation and urbanization of our local waters.Starting with the helicopters, then the jet boats,Great wolf lodge.The Niagara river was almost a wilderness setting when I grew up.Don't fish certain sections of the Grand any more because I'm bombarded by rafts and rubber duckies all summer long, courtesy of Grand River Rafting company.Lets develop a new gated community on the shore of Lake Ontario,then put up no parking signs, and remove your right to access..I'm getting tired of the " beat down" of our local waters..The hovercraft route just another annoyance...Can't fight urbanization I guess but IMO we sure haven't planned some of it right..

I hear you.  I'm tired of the Toronto invasion. Much more, and I'll leave for the north country before it's too late.

[steellee]

It sucks but money talks.  Its crazy the amount of fishing and naturalization thats been lost in Niagara in the last 25 years. Grew up spending most of our days at the river or in the never ending world of Ontatio Hydro property that was its own world of fishing opportunties way back when that was less frowned upon haha

[Bubba14]

Ahhhhh, the days of fishing the reservoir!!!

[smerchly]

41 minutes ago, Bubba14 said:

Ahhhhh, the days of fishing the reservoir!!!

Do you mean the floral clock one or the Decew reservoir Bubba ? 

The SCGFA had fishing derbies at the Decew Res. which we enjoyed so much .

We used to sneak in the back side under the pines and toss U -20s for the many smallies that were there . 

And we used flies on our casting reels to catch crappies in the weed beds .

I miss those times .

[Dave]

Well, I never made it to the open house.In all honesty its been a really bummer day for me.One of my favourite destination fishing trips just got wiped out by hurricane Ian.If you've watched the news today you will see that large portions of Fort Myers and Sanibel island are wiped out.I would imagine that the whole resort of small cottages just off beach are reduced to boards and floating rubble..Damn it, that was a great trip, sight fishing to monster Snook with the fly rod..Had a cottage on the beach already booked for next year..

[smerchly]

That's a bummer Dave . It was called the worst storm there in 500 years .

Mother nature can be cruel , and dangerous .  We are fortunate to have very little of this happen here .

[Dave]

Thanks Smerchly, here's a few pics from that beautiful place....

[smerchly]

Snook ?  I hear they are great fighters and great eating . I would love that type  of fishing .

We can fish for carp from the bank of the lakes here and have a chance to break 40 lbs.

But no where near as good eating .....

[Dave]

They are Snook. In the summer when they are cruising the beach to spawn, its closed to harvest, but open to fish..