Boating BC has released its list of top 10 destinations for boaters in the province – including lakes in the Interior – and no fewer than three of them fall within the orbit of the Sunshine Coast: Howe Sound, Princess Louisa Inlet and Desolation Sound.
The Sunshine Coast is truly one of B.C.’s preeminent ocean playgrounds, and for that reason it attracts a fleet of pleasure seekers from the Lower Mainland to the Prairies every summer. It is also home to a significant number of outdoor enthusiasts who live here to be as close as they can get to water’s edge.
There is no shortage of experienced hands on the water, but even the most seasoned boaters and anglers need to be reminded now and then to guard against complacency and always put safety first. Because, literally, all it takes is one slip.
To mark National Fishing Week this year from July 1 to 9, the Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC) and its partners are reminding anglers that “wearing your lifejacket is even more important than wearing your ‘lucky fishing hat,’ but both have to be worn to be effective.”
The statistics are sobering: about 80 per cent of recreational boaters who drown each year in Canada were not wearing a lifejacket or personal flotation device (PFD). The Lifesaving Society’s 2017 drowning report shows that only 13 per cent were wearing a lifejacket or PFD when they were unexpectedly thrown into the water; more than one-third of boating incidents were caused by falling or being thrown overboard, while another one-third were caused by a boat capsizing.
In a typical scenario, a wave or wake from another boat not only knocks the boater into the water but also carries their boat away, leaving them stranded without flotation. When their strength gives out, they drown.
Some boaters we see on the water wear their lifejackets while in transit to their favourite fishing spot, but then remove them once they arrive. The CSBC points out that there is no excuse in this day and age not to keep that lifejacket on. Today’s purpose-built designs provide comfort and allow ease of casting; they have pockets and clips to keep tackle, tools and other necessities. Inflatable lifejackets are another option for boaters who are 16 and older.
Whether you’re a visitor enjoying our sunny coves or a lifelong Coaster trying to hook supper, we hope you reel in the big one and urge you to be safe on the water.
