Summer weather comes with boating safety awareness when you hit the water
Earlier last month, two off duty Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) employees were on the water just west of the Clay Banks off Point Defiance Park in Tacoma and responded to a boating safety incident. Andrew Potter and Tom Mathews have over 30 years of work experience combined with WDFW and presently work within the Puget Sound Sampling Unit for the Fish Program. The pair had decided to go fishing after work that day with the warm, sunny, and calm weather.
While on the water around 6:30 p.m. a young man and woman were near them in another vessel when the off-duty employees noticed the couple go overboard. The boat was still in gear and making a circular pattern around the couple in the water, neither with life jackets on. Andrew and Tom immediately reacted to save the woman who, by the time they reached her, was tiring and having a difficult time staying above water. After they rescued the woman and pulled her into their boat, then assisted the male in the water who had been able to grab onto the empty but still running vessel. They were able to disengage the motor and take the couple to the local dock before hypothermia set in. Thankfully neither incurred any injuries nor required medical attention.
Due to the heroic efforts of Andrew and Tom, using their motorboat operator training course (MOTC) training, and on-the-water experience, they were able to quickly assist and safely take them out of harm’s way. The young couple had just purchased the boat and were inexperienced. The boat may have been overpowered, contributing to the incident. Due to the setting sun, other vessels would not have seen the incident, and the couple likely could have ended up in a worse situation. The young man rescued said after the incident that he will be wearing a life jacket anytime he goes back out on the water from now on.
We remind folks:
· Capsizing, swamping, and falling overboard are the leading causes of death for recreational boaters. Operational inexperience contributes to most accidents.
· Wear the life jacket. A life jacket gives you the chance to be seen and saved. There are many slim and comfortable options available. Children 12 and younger are required to have one on, but it is recommended that all ages wear one while on the water.
· Know your vessel’s limits and your own. Every vessel will perform differently and in different conditions. Understanding the tidal changes, weather reports, and overall water conditions and how they will impact your own vessel is crucial.
· Do not boat impaired. Although this couple mentioned above was not, many of the boating incidents officers respond to are due to the inebriation and poor judgement made by those consuming alcohol or drugs while on the water. In Washington state, operating a boat under the influence (BUI) is a gross misdemeanor and can result in a fine up to $5,000 and up to a year in jail.
· The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission Boating Program would also like to remind angler to take a boater safety education course, if you haven’t already, to be prepared for summer. In Washington, boaters who operate a vessel with a 15-horsepower engine or greater must carry a Boater Education Card to prove they passed an accredited boating safety education course.
