May Long Weekend

May long weekend is upon us, and city dwellers will likely be travelling towards more scenic, serene and relaxing destinations to “get away from it all”. The hustle and bustle of city life, for many, yields a need to get into the forest, out on the lake, and camping with family and friends. This is great for the economy in smaller communities as firewood, groceries, camping supplies and souvenirs spike in everyday sales. Not so great is the wake of noise and environmental pollution this leaves behind as many come to party and disrupt the serenity in the backcountry.

 
Photo: Robert Perry via http://www.juandefucamarinetrail.com

Vancouver Island’s Sombrio Beach is a beautiful place to visit, but due to vandalism, theft, assault and a number of drinking and drug violations during past May long weekends, the authorities have restricted vehicle access (for the fourth year in a row) to the beach in an attempt to discourage party-goers. While this annoys compliant backcountry users, the strategy seems to be working. I suppose those who came for the party rather than piece and quiet are not willing to hike as far for it.