Stayed Michelle Pfeiffer's dock - Bute Inlet.

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rsn48

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No, but when I was a teenager Katharine Hepburn did yell at me to get off her property when my Blue Jay sailboat drifted against her seawall and beach at the mouth of the CT River. As if I did it on pupose. Crabby old lady.
 
I think the mansion and other buildings are trying to be marketed as a possible resort but the area, for where it is, is quite remote, weather is bad most months, it gets a lot of rain, its cooler than surrounding areas due to glaciers at the end and Mount Waddington nearby, and winds can be very bad through the inlet. The mouth of the inlet once had a recording of 100 mph winds.
 
Michelle Pfeiffer`s Duck

Mallard2.jpg
 
Other than not being able to get to the property because of Covid, what are the current penalties for a foreigner to own property in BC? Isn't there a 15% surtax for foreign buyers? Would this resort be liable for the occupancy tax (1 or 2% per year) in BC?
 
I am curious as to anyone here stayed - legally or illegally - at Michele Pfeiffer's dock in Bute Inlet. By the way, the place is up for sale for $28, I'll be surprised if they get $5 million, crazy place to have such a heavy financial investment.

https://www.vanmag.com/why-wont-anyone-buy-michelle-pfeiffers-b-c-house

And a video of the estate: https://fawnbluff.com/

:thumb:
I should forward this ad on to our YC Outstations committee for consideration.
We already have a similar property from more than a century before, at Wigwam Inn, at the northern head of Indian Arm, near Vancouver. That is a property developed in an era appropriate way, for a German Prince of that day who, come the onset of WWI had to abandon it. As it was quite a lot more than the demand for a resort in the area, and went through fortunes high and low, including being used as a movie set, it was purchased for a relative song by RVYC in 1985.
Maybe before 2085 the asking price and the club's fortunes will meet on this fabulous location for an Outstation.
 
Other than not being able to get to the property because of Covid, what are the current penalties for a foreigner to own property in BC?

I can't tell you the answer but here in BC there are many islands that are owned privately, the great majority Americans. Many locations in Canada have American inhabitants. So much so that when I was younger I can recall the period of time Americans were getting upset about Japanese buy American property. My response was - suck it up buttercup Americans.

Some islands for sale:

https://www.privateislandsonline.com/region/britishcolumbia/
 
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I don't get it.

If you want to "get away from it all" why build a place dependant on staff, cooks, mechanics, etc?

One room cabin, loft bedroom, outhouse, small dock, done :thumb:
 
I don't get it.

If you want to "get away from it all" why build a place dependant on staff, cooks, mechanics, etc?

One room cabin, loft bedroom, outhouse, small dock, done :thumb:

Guess you've never heard of Adirondack Great Camps or “Cottages” in Newport, RI? It’s a whole other planet some folks are living on.
 
I don't get it.

If you want to "get away from it all" why build a place dependant on staff, cooks, mechanics, etc?


Its the same with owners of mega yachts. Most of them aren't doing the navigation, standing watch at the helm, or not that much. They have crew, etc.
 
Its the same with owners of mega yachts. Most of them aren't doing the navigation, standing watch at the helm, or not that much. They have crew, etc.

Exactly...I don't get that either. Half the fun is choosing how to manage all the factors/risks yourself.
 
Yep, her, Philadelphia Story, Spencer Tracy, all that. Would have been the summer of 82 or 83. The Hepburn estate is on a point near the entrance to the CT River, Fenwick. There's a rock outcropping or jetty that juts out into the water. Definitely a hazard to navigation. The wind died and the current crunched my sailboat against those rocks. She came out on the lawn yelling, waving her arms, trying to shoo me away. Like I did it on purpose. As if there were anything I could do about it too, no motor, no oars, wooden Blue Jay.

Yes, here it is from the last time the estate was up for sale. See those rocks on the left? There's probably still a black streak of my hull paint on one of those rocks, and a chunk of my daggerboard.

aaron-thompson-6-1495055279.jpeg
 
My wife and I met some Kiwi sea kayakers on Burnett Bay, BC.

Don't know if this is true, but they said nobody could own property about 20' in from the edge of a river or along the oceans shore. You could paddle up in front of an estate and set up camp, or walk any river you wanted.

Sweet :thumb:
 
My wife and I met some Kiwi sea kayakers on Burnett Bay, BC.

Don't know if this is true, but they said nobody could own property about 20' in from the edge of a river or along the oceans shore. You could paddle up in front of an estate and set up camp, or walk any river you wanted.

Sweet :thumb:
As some people with very expensive " harbour frontage" homes discovered in Sydney`s eastern suburbs. Fences had to be removed. "absolute harbour frontage" is not. You can get a lease to build a jetty and or boathouse, you`d have exclusive occupancy of that.
Now, what about the dock duck?
 
Property in BC along the coast is owned up to the intertidal area. How do I know this, because of areas dogs can be on or not be on the beach. I lived in Deep Cove (District of North Vancouver), one of the few places in the lower mainland to have some homes who a own private jetty.

I kind of knew the guy who was in charge (federally) of all jetties privately owned in the lower mainland. We often discussed what these folks owned, what these folks claimed they owned. Turns out he and I shared a joy of pissing off folk who tried to claim too much.

Intertidal, from lowest low to highest high shore that is cleared is not in the jurisdiction of municipalities (don't fret now, I'll get back to the dogs). The federal government owns the oceans and they put the provincial government in charge as their representative. Now this guy and I would go for walks with our dogs on these intertidal areas often passing underneath a private jetty. If it was a good day, some home owner would come out and yell at us for trespassing at which point the guy would inform them of their legal rights. If they threatened to call the police, he would offer them his phone to make the call.

Where I lived in Deep Cove, there are beaches, not that great of beaches, but areas that still experience tidal fluctuation with an intertidal zone. Of course there was a push to get dogs off the beaches (only two) so the local animal control gal/guy was sent. A few of us contacted the municipality of the District of North Vancouver and informed them the animal control people had no jurisdiction in the intertidal area; these folk were not federal or provincial.

Here in Qualicum Beach where I live, there was a battle for control of the beaches (you'll be happy to know us home owners lost). The same legal argument, a municipality does not have jurisdiction over our beaches which can extend about 3/4 of a kilometer out on a good spring or king tide. We have a period of time, I think from 1 March to 1 May dogs are not allowed on the beach to protect Brandt ducks. Now I am here to testify I have been to these beaches literally hundreds of times (I live on block away from the water) and I have yet to see one of these ducks.

So again we won the initial legal skirmish. Now the protection of the beaches is under the Department of Fisheries and the reason this is important is they are federal and can police the beaches here.

I don't know but I bet its the same in the state of Washington, a home owner can own up to the intertidal line (highest high).
 
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Nope,

There are many privately owned beaches in our state, Have a number of friends that own theirs.


"Washington has perhaps the most unusual public beach access rules of any Western state. Where most states define the boundary of lands available for private ownership at the high tideline, Washington allows for private ownership of lands down to the low water mark. This is a holdover from the early days of the state, when loggers and shellfish farmers were allowed to purchase tidelands from the government. While the state no longer permits people to purchase tidelands, many areas of the beach have been passed down through generations and remain private property. Additionally, beachfront property owners are allowed to build private piers and other structures on public beaches. Be aware of property boundaries as you visit Washington beaches this summer, and look up a beach before you visit to ensure you won’t be encroaching on private property."


Hollywood
 
What about water lot leases for marinas etc. Can't possibly say they cannot keep you off the beach, can you? Asking.
 
Nope,

There are many privately owned beaches in our state, Have a number of friends that own theirs.


"Washington has perhaps the most unusual public beach access rules of any Western state. Where most states define the boundary of lands available for private ownership at the high tideline, Washington allows for private ownership of lands down to the low water mark. This is a holdover from the early days of the state, when loggers and shellfish farmers were allowed to purchase tidelands from the government. While the state no longer permits people to purchase tidelands, many areas of the beach have been passed down through generations and remain private property. Additionally, beachfront property owners are allowed to build private piers and other structures on public beaches. Be aware of property boundaries as you visit Washington beaches this summer, and look up a beach before you visit to ensure you won’t be encroaching on private property."


Hollywood

This is true. I own tidelands at my house near where Hollywood lives to mean lower low tide. Private.
 
What about water lot leases for marinas etc. Can't possibly say they cannot keep you off the beach, can you? Asking.

So most marinas along the BC coast don't dry out. Now Sewell's in Horseshoe Bay almost does by the old Boat House Restaurant (use to keep my boat at Sewell's) but most marinas don't dry out. So in Comox...no, Nanaimo....no, Victoria...no, Vancouver....no, Campbell River...no, Powell River...no, Texada boat club..... no, Ladysmith....no, etc.
 
I don't get it.

If you want to "get away from it all" why build a place dependant on staff, cooks, mechanics, etc?

One room cabin, loft bedroom, outhouse, small dock, done :thumb:

A buddy often goes there to do mechanic work,
 
In Hawaii, the beaches are public up to the vegetation line. You cannot block access to the beach. However, the fancy folk try to keep the hoi-polloi from setting up for the day on "their" beach by making parking anywhere nearby as difficult as possible.
 
Celine Deion came out a shrieked at my brother and me one night for fishing her dock lights (from a boat, not touching her property at all, perfectly legal) in Biscayne Bay. Did not come off as a nice person, she seemed completely unhinged. She did have a loud voice though.
 

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