Easy Drifter
11th August 2009, 03:10
We have had a spate of drownings in Canada, especially Ontario, in the last couple of weeks. Many have been by swimmers, often caused by stupidity. Five in the Moon River in Muskoka. Seven people jumped into the river at the Moon River Falls. One got out on his own, three were rescued by campers and three drowned. A couple of days later two drowned at the Bala Falls on the Moon River. Several other drownings were from Canoes or very small boats and one from a racing boat. None, repeat none, were wearing life jackets.
Personal floatation devices (lifejackets basically) are mandatory on boats, including canoes but you don't have to wear them.
Now there is a movement to make wearing compulsory. The Federal Govt. are considering it but I have heard no details as to boat size or type.
The Ontario Provincial Police want it compulsory in all boats up to 9 metres, or about 30 feet. Many cabin cruisers are under 30 feet and wearing such a device in a cabin does seem a little silly. If in a storm yes. Do you have to wear it when at anchor or moored? What about sleeping?
This needs a lot of calm thinking not knee jerk reaction.
Most of the drownings have been in either very small craft or not involving a boat at all. Not one has been from a cabin cruiser. It can happen, yes but do we need yet another over protectionist law to protect people from themselves?
Let's be honest, jumping into a fast moving river in white water is not the brightest thing to do.
At St. Jovite you could swim in the lake behind the paddock or in the Devils River behind turn one. Access was only from the paddock. The river was medium fast flowing and there was a whirlpool. Not really white water. Some of us swam there, but not in the early part of the year when the flow was high. Everyone who swam there was a very good swimmer and any newcomer was warned and watched at first. As far as I know there were only 2 of us who could swim upstream and through the whirlpool, but we wouldn't even go in the water if the flow was high. There were also always strong swimmers on shore watching people. Nobody went in unless there were several people there. The river also widened out about 100 feet downstream and got shallow. Were we crazy? Probably, but there never was an accident or injury outside of a scrape or two. :eek:
Personal floatation devices (lifejackets basically) are mandatory on boats, including canoes but you don't have to wear them.
Now there is a movement to make wearing compulsory. The Federal Govt. are considering it but I have heard no details as to boat size or type.
The Ontario Provincial Police want it compulsory in all boats up to 9 metres, or about 30 feet. Many cabin cruisers are under 30 feet and wearing such a device in a cabin does seem a little silly. If in a storm yes. Do you have to wear it when at anchor or moored? What about sleeping?
This needs a lot of calm thinking not knee jerk reaction.
Most of the drownings have been in either very small craft or not involving a boat at all. Not one has been from a cabin cruiser. It can happen, yes but do we need yet another over protectionist law to protect people from themselves?
Let's be honest, jumping into a fast moving river in white water is not the brightest thing to do.
At St. Jovite you could swim in the lake behind the paddock or in the Devils River behind turn one. Access was only from the paddock. The river was medium fast flowing and there was a whirlpool. Not really white water. Some of us swam there, but not in the early part of the year when the flow was high. Everyone who swam there was a very good swimmer and any newcomer was warned and watched at first. As far as I know there were only 2 of us who could swim upstream and through the whirlpool, but we wouldn't even go in the water if the flow was high. There were also always strong swimmers on shore watching people. Nobody went in unless there were several people there. The river also widened out about 100 feet downstream and got shallow. Were we crazy? Probably, but there never was an accident or injury outside of a scrape or two. :eek: