Opinion - Top opinion

POSTED: Thursday, Jun. 18, 2009

Safety must come first in boating

As a long-time sailor and sea kayaker, the natural beauty of Puget Sound draws me to its shores and onto its waters. Unfortunately, we get an occasional wake-up call that reminds us that this beautiful cold-water marine environment can become extremely dangerous to boaters.

Consider these facts from the 2007 Lifesaving Society study. Bear in mind that the average temperature of Puget Sound is about 50 degrees year round:

- 60 percent of drownings occurred in water under 50 degrees

- 43 percent of drownings occurred within 6 feet of safety

- 90 percent of those drowned were not wearing a life jacket

Looking back to 2007 in the Bellingham Bay area, there were six tragic kayaking and canoeing fatalities. In the recent sailboat capsize in the 49-degree water of Chuckanut Bay on June 5, two people are reported missing and presumed drowned. The Coast Guard says none of the boaters was wearing a life jacket.

That incident was followed a few days later on June 11 by a canoe capsize near Anacortes. Two people were involved, both wearing life jackets, but one drowned, apparently trying to get to shore.

These are disturbing events for our community and chilling reminders for all boaters, young or old, about the serious risks associated with boating in a cold-water environment. The uncomfortable reality is that cold water can kill.

Rapid changes in wind, tides and currents can combine with the 50-degree water in Puget Sound to quickly generate dangerous conditions for boaters. Sudden immersion in cold, turbulent water without a life jacket, without proper thermal protection and without the ability to communicate greatly increases the risk of hypothermia and drowning.

Three lessons stand out in the Coast Guard's research on boating fatalities. First, wearing a properly fitted, Coast Guard-approved type III life jacket nearly doubles your chances for survival in cold water. Second, dressing for cold-water immersion vs. the warmer air temperature is wise in the Pacific Northwest. Third, all boaters should carry some kind of waterproof communication or signaling device such as a marine VHF radio, signal mirror, whistle or pyrotechnic flares.

What can our community do to reduce boating fatalities? A good example is the Safe Kayaking Initiative started by our local Coast Guard station in 2008. It involves the Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Whatcom County Sheriff, the Bellingham Bay Community Boating Center and several kayaking organizations. Our local kayaking club, WAKE (wakekayak.org), is collaborating with local retail stores, kayaking clubs and boating organizations to educate kayakers on how to paddle safely in the cold waters of the Pacific Northwest.

Besides free monthly seminars on "Safe Kayaking" at the Sehome REI store and skills training for club members, WAKE has arranged for the "Cold Water Boot Camp" DVD (coldwaterbootcamp.com) to play nearly every day on Bellingham's BTV-10 television station. This video presents the latest research findings on the dangers of hypothermia and offers practical guidelines for survival in cold water. For this summer's BTV schedule, go to the city's Web site (cob.org) or check the Saturday Bellingham Herald.

WAKE also designed a "Safe Kayaking" sign to be installed at public kayak launch sites. These signs are being offered at minimal cost to city, county and state organizations in Whatcom, Skagit and Snohomish counties. You can see them now at Marine Park in Fairhaven and on Lake Whatcom in Sudden Valley. The signs promote safety practices that generally apply to any form of boating:

Wear a properly fitted type III life jacket at all times;

Dress for immersion and wear thermal protection layers;

Carry a submersible marine VHF radio and other signaling devices;

Plan ahead - check weather, wind, tides and currents;

Never paddle under the influence of drugs or alcohol;

Watch out for boat traffic - avoid collisions;

Paddle with others and stay together as a group.

My point is to encourage all boaters, particularly kayakers, to take responsibility for acquiring the necessary knowledge, skills and safety equipment to be safe in a cold water environment. Recreational boating is meant to be a safe and fun sport, not a life threatening experience.

Mac Carter is the WAKE Safety Coordinator and a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 11.