Boating incidents & Safe, Quiet Lakes

These incidents are so preventable. Education, awareness and respect for humanity.  I suppose I 'preach to the choir' Neighbourly Cottage Visitors -Dos of cottage life/boating, yet the message must get out there. We must educate our 'adult' children.

One cannot help but think that these are unnecessary and a terrible drain on emergency crews time and energy, as well as taxpayers dollars. These watercraft are going too quickly, and there is no need for this kind of speed, which kills.

Of course,  while the incidents do not always involve death, they do involve injuries and fines.

Net Newsledger

Jet-Ski and Sea-Doo collide in Georgian Bay

www.muskokaregion.com/-May 25, 2016

GEORGIAN BAY – A Jet-Ski and a Sea-Doo collided on the long weekend and it resulted in charges for both operators.

Boating deaths in Ontario up compared to 2015

Police urge safety on Ontario waterways amid increase in boating deaths. (Is it any wonder?)

• There have been 8 separate incidents so far in 2016.
• By this point in 2015, there were only 2 incidents.
• Ages: 7 out of 8 victims were ages 21 - 28.
• None were wearing a flotation device.
• Alcohol was involved in 5/6 incidents.
• Most of these incidents involved canoes or kayaks.
• Two incidents involved an overloaded outboard boat that swamped.
• One incident: a PWC in which the operator fell off.

The child in red/pink on the boat, was on the gunnel beside the kids with the life jacket, just before I snapped this photo. 
It's illegal for the child to drive a personal watercraft (PWC), and against marine laws to have them sitting in front.

I'm glad my kids weren't out there!

These were new owners of a cottage.
Intent on using the lake as a Nascar track.
He's too young to drive,
at the time he was often on the jetski alone.
I phoned the OPP marine division,
they made a visit,
and they were given fines.

SAFE QUIET LAKES AND OPP LAUNCH AWARENESS CAMPAIGN TO ENCOURAGE SAFE BOATING AND REDUCE EXCESSIVE NOISE ON THE MUSKOKA LAKES

Annual Safe Quiet Lakes campaign gets underway on Victoria Day weekend May 20, 2016 – Regional advocacy group Safe Quiet Lakes is launching its annual awareness and safety campaign in cooperation and with support from the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

In addition to critical reminders about respect, safety and the risks on the water, the campaign is also highlighting the growing issue of excessive noise created by some powerboats, including those that boaters can choose to operate with their muffler system disengaged.

This guy drove around doing donuts until the kid in the back fell off.


Then there is the amount of traffic on a small lake, as well as the speed of the machines.
 

Do you know who has the right-of-way?

Be water smart and check out @csbc_bt_tips for more safe boating information https://t.co/2655xtWcCH

— OPP East (@OPP_ER) May 25, 2016

What you need to know about children’s lifejackets: https://t.co/bwgU8DNK7K #OPP #SafeBoating pic.twitter.com/wgc01637QH

— Ontario Prov Police (@OPP_News) May 26, 2016

Check out this OPP Video on PFD & Boating Safety https://t.co/H63A1BDFnJ pic.twitter.com/rA9jxcewqe

— Ontario Prov Police (@OPP_News) May 25, 2016

a puzzle, and perplexity for you

And, the perplexity... is it only teachers, used to scanning a school yard or classroom for danger who look at these scenes and shudder?

I strolled into town to see what was going on, to take photos of our Bala Habitat Muskoka build.
On the way I spotted many folks at the falls.



I see people fishing.

And a family kayaking...
others fishing from boats,

or scooting around the bottom of the north falls.

In a previous post, I watched a dad take two young children and a puppy to paddle in the falls. Grandparents watched from above. You wonder at people visiting. It is no wonder that people drown here.

Water safety

Truth be told, the water is rather chilly these days. Yet boaters continue to go out without safety gear.

I noticed these guy crossing the lake, sans life jackets.

Now, I would not swear to it, but it appears as if the guy is drinking a beer. But I could be wrong. I don't know what is on his barge, but they are large plastic containers and they appear heavy.

In 2007, on our small lake, a 60-year old man with mental health issues stayed alone in the water for a swim. His aunt (with issues of her own)  had left him alone to make dinner. She did not think to report him missing. No one found him for three days. I pity the person that found him. 


On May 23, 2008, a 90 year old man went to sort out his dock in the high, cold, spring water. The police report says the empty canoe was found 2 km away, his body 100 m from the canoe. His wife of 65 years in marriage, alone and, no doubt, bereft. 


Here is Jess on our October Thanksgiving (2007). It was a brisk swim.

This morning there was ice on the shallow frog pond. The minnows are still out and about in the pond, most of the water creatures are sleeping, dreaming of spring.

If you look closely, you can see the minnow's circular ripples in the water after it broke the surface.






The video (below) demonstrates the danger involved in such a risky event. Shout Out to Powell River Books for the pertinent post, and the YouTube link.

Be careful out there.