VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

June Donation Injection - Webcam Location Suggestions

I thought – considering all Dave’s extra work on the site recently (new website format, fixing webcams, negotiating new webcam locations, etc.) – that I’d start a donation reminder thread. How much is this site worth to you, especially during the summer?

For fun, I thought I’d also add a poll to get your thoughts on new webcam locations. Perhaps we could gather enough donations in this thread to purchase a new webcam! (Hey Dave, remind us, how much does a new webcam cost?)

Go to this page to donate: http://www.bigwavedave.ca/donate.htm, then post your suggestions below. If we all donate even a nominal amount, the sum will add up quickly!

Update: Since I posted this on June 5 we have gained:

$78
$104
$100
$125
$50
$150
$50
$80
$60
$25
$25
$25
$73
$200
$25
--------------------------------------------------
RUNNING TOTAL= $1,170 (!!!)

Woohoo!! Thanks to those that have been so generous so far! Keep 'em comin'!

From my back room i have the flag at beacon hill
in sight. I know its not on the water but the flag would be
a good idea how Cook st is.

I commend Dave in his work, which makes sailing possible for all of us through the convenience of the site. As well it has truely linked a community of windsurfers/kiters that would otherwise be largely fragmented.... I make yearly infusions to the cause, as I know others pay for this sort of data access elsewhere.... Keep it up Dave (and team) - you are appreciated!!!!!!

As for webcam locations, Pipers is most logical, even though I live in Lantzville (very near Myron etc). More sailors use Pipers than Myron/Oar in NWs (from my visual surveys ;), and Lantzville gets ~the same winds in NW with less swells - making the extrapolation from a Pipers webcam easy.

I think rather than a webcam an email program would be most helpful that feeds general questions of useless, common administrivia at regular intervals to a boss to keep him/her busy or makes phone calls which mysteriously "break up" as soon as the boss has answered the similar admin question is more desirable for those who are at times working remotely.
For those in cubicles, a "quick hide" button for the BWD screen replaced by a banner of our choice (for me "the permissible levels of contaminants in the workplace" tables ) would be great this coupled with an inflatable self riveted to the screen showing rapt dedication to the job at hand.....

While I'm surfing the waves somewhere

Pipers or Point No Point Cams or Brooks or Checleset Bays, Brooks Peninsula or Solander Island ; )

Thanks Wavos for reviving the "To Do List" http://www.bigwavedave.ca/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1998. It shows what goes on/needs to be done behind the scenes.

I was prompted to start this thread after the Cook Cam and CB weather station problems occurred, amongst other problems. It seemed to me that Dave was putting out fires everywhere. For me, the easiest thing I can do to help out is to donate a few extra $. I thought I'd also post this topic as a reminder to us of how valuable the site is -- with no membership fees! I gather that there is a large group of us that donate on a regular basis, however, it seemed time for another "shot in the arm." I liked Kus's fund raising thread last December. I think we need these periodic reminders.

~~~~~4j~~ wrote:Hey Dave, remind us, how much does a new webcam cost?

Thanks for starting this Jason and getting it rolling with your $78 donation Thanks for also reminding people that they can also contribute by adding to the Sailing Guide wiki.

The webcams I use are high resolution cams with a built in computer (no external PC is needed). They are very reliable and fairly expensive. They are about $1200 + $200 for an outdoor enclosure. The ones with the motorized zoom are an extra $600 (although I'm not buying those anymore). You can get cheaper webcams, but if you want to see detail on the water and have something that runs reliably then this is the way to go.

I have also been spending a bit of extra money this last month. The site is getting busier and last month I went over my 20GB per month bandwidth limit at islandnet resulting in a $58 total charge. I'll have to figure something out to reduce that. I also had to buy a new home PC to run the webserver and weather programs since the old one was slowing down. I'm also paying 5 Shaw hi-speed internet bills every month. I think it's time to search for 1 or 2 new sponsors.
thanks
dave

Thanks to TheLaw for the $104 donation...woohoo.

and to Mark Shepard for $100

Thanks for the donations so far! The Piper's webcam has so far received the most votes, followed by the Comox Spit cam.

Hey, what do you think of an Alberni Inlet webcam? Perhaps at the China Creek Campground? Probably most useful for mid-Islanders. Maybe after first locating web cams at a few higher-priority sites?

Hey-
Seem to be spending more time at Pipers these days so my vote goes for one there.
Tx

Only 11 votes so far? There must be more interest than that. This topic has been viewed 285 times!

I live in Vic, and use the water around here.
So I haven't voted, because since I don't use those sites.
I don't want to influence in a negative way the people who do sail up there and have a vested interest.
That could be why there are not so many votes?
But I am curious.
I have family around Union Bay, and Nanimo.
So one of these days I will be out in those waters.
Untill then, I'll be watching from the fence.

$125 from Ray Vanderbyl and $50.00 from Scott Finnie (aka snapper)

And from the very generous people at CB yesterday:
Ozy $150
Barb W and GWIND $50
Stefan (EyeDuck) $80

Thank you!

$60 from More Force 4...thanks!
dave