05/19/2019
Yup, it’s that time of year again. People are guardedly swiping the spider webs from their paddleboards and duct taping their kayak paddles back together for another year of waterborne antics while wondering when Coast Guard approved lifejackets are going to go on sale at the local discount store. As you make your preparations to set sail to discover new lands in your 6’ blow up oar propelled craft, please take the time to ensure you have your contact information posted legibly somewhere inside of it.
The Coast Guard will spend (tens of? hundreds of?) thousands of our tax dollars this year looking for the owners of abandoned/lost paddle craft that have been found in nearby waters without any sign of their “captains.” The men and women that work to keep you safe on the water – Coast Guard boat crews and pilots, local harbormasters, Police and Fire Departments, commercial assistance providers and countless others – will be tasked with looking for people that aren’t in distress, putting themselves at risk while doing so.
PLEASE take the time to stick an informational placard like the one pictured below to your craft. An alternative to the sticker is use a permanent marker to legibly place a current phone number and your name and the phone number of an emergency contact inside a compartment or area that is more or less protected from the elements. Additionally, if you lose your kayak/paddleboard/watercraft (yes, it happens – often), let the Coast Guard know so they can record information about it and possibly return it to you if/when someone finds it. Head to the store and buy that Coast Guard approved life vest (and then use it every time you head out on the water). Pick up a reliable paddle that wont break in half at the most inopportune time (which is anytime you are on the water) and get to know the areas that you are thinking of paddling to this season.
Have a great, safe season on the water!
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