I know you hear a lot about boating safety, but every time I go out on the water, I see people who don’t wear their PFDs, run too fast in a no-wake zone, overload their boat, take a pontoon boat or jon boat into the ocean or bay where it becomes a hazard, and many other unsafe practices. Just this week, two lives were lost in the Hudson River in New York City when an overloaded boat capsized and none of the passengers were wearing a PFD. There is a suspicion that the boat was operating as an unlicensed tour boat.
The U.S. Coast Guard has released its 2021 recreational boating statistics, and the total number of accidents decreased 16% and the number of fatalities decreased 14%. While that is good news, we must remember that 2021 was the year of COVID, and perhaps not as many people were on the water.
Most accidents occurred during benign weather conditions: calm waters, no or light wind, and good visibility. Alcohol continued to be the leading cause in fatal boating accidents.
In 81% of fatal boating accidents, the victims drowned. Of those drowning victims, 83% were not wearing a life jacket or PFD.
You would think that fact alone would convince any reasonable person to always wear a PFD when on the water. You would be wrong.
There were a few more interesting facts in the Coast Guard report.
It seems 75% of deaths occurred on vessels where the operator had not taken any boating safety instruction. Every winter, there are courses provided by the Coast Guard Auxiliary in numerous locations; if you haven’t taken one, you should do so as soon as possible.
The vessel types with the highest percentage of deaths were open motorboats (44%), kayaks (15%) and pontoons (10%). This is the second time pontoons have ranked in the top three.
While not mentioned in the Coast Guard report, my personal observations would place not maintaining a proper lookout pretty high on the accident-causing list. When I am in a lot of boat traffic, such as trying to navigate the channel from Indian River Bay through Massey’s Ditch into Rehoboth Bay, I am constantly on the lookout for boaters with the dead-ahead stare. They are fixated on where they are going and have no idea what’s alongside or behind them. They are likely to cut right or left at any time, and if you happen to be passing them, goodbye!
I know boating is supposed to be fun, but when someone ends up dead, it takes the fun right out for the rest of everyone’s life who knew that person. If you were the captain of that boat, it will haunt you for the rest of your life.
Always wear a PFD, do not drink alcohol when running a boat, keep a sharp lookout and do not overload the boat. Run a safe boat and enjoy the ride.
DMS chicken BBQ
On Saturday, July 16, the Delaware Mobile Surf-Fishermen will hold a chicken barbecue fundraiser on Savannah Road in front of the Beacon Motel in Lewes. You may purchase a platter that has a piece of delicious chicken, a roll and potato salad for only $10, and soda or water is just $1 more.
This is a fundraising project for DMS. The money raised will support their activities, including grass planting along the ocean, a special fishing day at the pier in Cape Henlopen Sate Park, and the Andy & Opie Fishing Tournament in Milton.
Fishing report
My first stop Tuesday was Indian River Inlet, where the full moon had the current running in at full speed. I made one cast with a Stingsilver and before I could crank it back in, the lure was already in the rocks. That told me all I needed to know about that location.
Next, I tried my luck at 3R’s Road, and while the wind was howling out of the southeast, the water was reasonably clear. Three ounces was more than enough to hold bottom. I baited two top-bottom rigs with Fishbites bloodworm and cast them out as far as I could, which is not all that far. I had a bunch of tiny nibbles, caught a spot that was almost as big as my hand and left at 10 a.m.
Flounder fishing is still tough at the Old Grounds. Sheepshead and triggerfish are in good supply over bay and ocean structure, with sand fleas the top bait. There have been reports of slot rockfish caught from the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal on live eels and swimbaits. Tuna are in the canyons.
-
Eric Burnley is a Delaware native who has fished and hunted the state from an early age. Since 1978 he has written countless articles about hunting and fishing in Delaware and elsewhere along the Atlantic Coast. He has been the regional editor for several publications and was the founding editor of the Mid-Atlantic Fisherman magazine. Eric is the author of three books: Surf Fishing the Atlantic Coast, The Ultimate Guide to Striped Bass Fishing and Fishing Saltwater Baits. He and his wife Barbara live near Milton, Delaware. Eric can be reached at Eburnle@aol.com.
