Wellington Harbour in Prince Edward County, Ontario, has for more than a century been known as a safe harbour with easy access from Lake Ontario. Originally for commercial traders, now for Sports Fishing, Cruising and Sail boats.

In 2005 local residents, Ian Scrimshaw, Chris Bowles, and Jim Dunlop, with support from Barry Braun, formed WHIP (Wellington Harbour Improvement Project)

Their objectives was and is:
• Increase boat docking capacity in Wellington for both local and visiting boaters.
• Improve overall facilities for boaters.
• Bring a Rescue Boat to Wellington. (Nearest had been Cobourg, 2-3 hours away).

  In 2005 Wellington Harbour had one old main dock (replaced in 2008) and a 100 foot floating dock that would sink under water if more than four people stood on it at one time. These docks had capacity for six overnight visiting boaters, and no slips for local resident boaters to use for the season. During the summer, visiting boaters were turned away once the six slips were full, and locals who enquired for summer slips, told there were none in Wellington.
  Fund raising started in 2005 with the first WHIP Fishing Derby, that is now an annual fund raising event along with T-Shirt sales and sponsorship. Local businesses provided prizes for the fishing derby as well as national fishing tackle manufactures. The Canadian National Sportsman Show organization donated $5000, and cash support came from local service clubs as well as individuals.
  The funds raised enabled WHIP to purchase and refurbish 160 feet of 8 foot wide floating dock, to replace the sinking dock, along with four 30 foot floating finger docks. This increased the docking capacity for 2006 from the previous 6 boats to 12. Four slips were used by local residents for the season and the rest were used by visiting boaters.

  Wellington Harbour in 2005	Wellington Harbour in 2006	Wellington Harbour in 2007

  In 2007 WHIP purchased and refurbished another 30 foot finger dock, increasing the boat capacity at the main dock to 14. The maximum capacity that space will allow. Six slips were used by locals for the season and the remainder by visitors, who stayed from one night to one week.
  To promote Wellington, to attract more boating tourists, WHIP opened the Wellington Marina website.
  Joined the OMOA (Ontario Marine Operators Association) and advertised Wellington Harbour in the Boating East Magazine.

  With the formation of the West Lake sailing Club and Dragon Boat Racing event, on the beach side of the harbour, more docking space was required to accommodate boats, and WHIP was able to obtain another 48 feet of floating dock to place along side the West shoreline of the channel.

  In the fall of 2007 WHIP was instrumental in negotiating with the OPP the donation of an ex OPP 24 foot Limestone boat, to be used as a Rescue Boat, to be based in Wellington, operating under the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary program.
  15 Wellington residents have volunteered to man the boat and several have already taken the Search and Rescue courses, with others due to do the same in late spring.
  In 2008 the Wellington Lions Club is now going to form a Dragon Boat Racing Club in Wellington. This coupled with the expansion of the West lake Sailing Club, the expected increase in residents wanting slips, together with more visitors, due to, the advertising of Wellington, the channel being dredged, the addition of new showers and washrooms, will increase the demand for more boat docking space.
  WHIP is therefore planning to increase docking space to accommodate another 10-12 boats, taking the capacity in 2008 of Wellington to 24-26 boats, from only 6 in 2005.

  WHIP Objectives for 2008: To purchase, and refurbish 200 feet of 8 foot wide floating dock with four 30 foot finger docks and to install them on the West shoreline of the Wellington channel, adjacent to the Rotary Club new board walk, linking them to the board walk with ramps. Bring Hydro and water from the new washrooms to these new docks. To give power to overnight visiting boats as well as overhead lighting along the boardwalk on the shoreline

  
  

  Last updated on April 8, 2008