Navigating Holiday Waters: Safety Tips for Paddlers

Holiday Weekends are dangerous for paddlers. Mostly because boaters are out there to full-throttle their 32-foot speedboat while towing 6 kids on an inflatable mattress and NOT looking out for paddlers. AND, boats have the right of way over paddlers in most instances. It’s scary, but real.

• First, go out early or late so there is less boat traffic.
• Look at the forecast. Watch the wind and radar.
• Wear sunscreen.
• Wear temperature-appropriate outfits. If you are in a colder region, prepare with wetsuits, dry suits, whatever will keep you warm if you fall in. We have tons of articles on this.
• Target areas that aren’t high boat volume.
• Find the no-wake zones. Embrace them.
• Stay out of the shipping lanes and boating channels.
• Bring a mobile phone in a dry case, in case you get stuck or there's an emergency.
• If you are in an area with tides, go out closer to high tide so there is more water to work with, less water to share, less sandbars or oyster bars to avoid.
• For rivers and lakes, avoid areas with submerged hazards that can catch your leash, hit your board/boat, or hat you can fall on and get injured. An appropriate least with a quick-release is important.
• Always have the proper equipment for the proper setting.
• Bring water and something to eat.
• Hit the marshes or back bays, coves, where there is less boat traffic.
• Avoid public boat ramps, public boat docks, and boat gas stations.
• Stay on the edges of the channels.
• Cross at 90 degrees and imagine you’re crossing 95 or the equivalent major superhighway. Make REALLY SURE you have enough time to get across. Depth perception decreases as you age. If there is moving current, angle to ferry across the channel.
• Do not surf in crowded lineups, find your own peak.
• Look out for beginners. They didn’t read this. It’s better to seem rude and kindly suggest they move to a safer place then to not say anything and watch a Bateau butter-top them.
• Stay safe, have fun

This isn’t just for beginners, this is for everyone. But keep in mind, you can follow all of these rules and still not be safe. However, even with the best preparation, you can run into fishing tournaments, random acts of boating stupidity, storms and unexpected conditions. For instance, when people who troll (fishing) they often don’t look in front of the boat until it’s too late. They watch behind to see if there’s a fish on. It is divide attention. Just like people pulling wake boards like to watch the wake boarder. Others, troll across inlets, perpendicular to traffic. And I’m not saying all fishermen. I’m saying all but one. ha.

Throw in swell, current, and the fact that we you can be tired from a paddle and you have a recipe for disaster. Remember this on all weekends, not just holiday weekends.

The water is ablaze with boat traffic, but there is still room for everyone. Just don’t set up camp in the middle of a drunken highway filled with first time boaters who only know full speed and holy crap.

And you can and will make mistakes. It happens. I've made them. I've learned from them. Do your best. And enjoy the holidays.