Coast Guard Cautions Late Season Boaters
The Coast Guard is cautioning New England boaters, paddlers, sailors, fisherman and hunters to be mindful of the dangers of this season's colder air and water temperatures.
The First Coast Guard District reported the loss of 58 recreational boaters and paddlers in the Northeast in 2007 and October, November, and December are the months with the highest percentages of fatal maritime accidents.
"The important thing for people on the water to do this time of year is fully assess the risks," said Al Johnson, the recreational boating specialist for the First Coast Guard District, in Boston. "It is imperative to envision what can go wrong and be fully equipped and prepared to survive - planning, preparation and a positive attitude are essential."
Johnson recommends that boaters and paddlers use the fall and winter season to take a boating safety course through their respective state, Coast Guard Auxiliary, or Power Squadrons, and recommends they research and understand the hazards of sudden immersion in cold water.
"I wish I could say it in gentler terms," said Johnson, "but, plain and simple, cold water shocks, incapacitates and kills. Northern waters show no mercy to the innocent, unsuspecting or unprepared boater or paddler," he said.
Read
the rest of the article.
|
