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The Canadian Coast Guard's annual icebreaking season on the Great Lakes is underway. On the Great Lakes, icebreaking services are provided by the Canadian Coast Guard and the United States Coast Guard (USCG) working together as one team. Last season alone, both Coast Guards directly assisted 522 ship transits on the Great Lakes. These services are critical to keeping the Canadian economy moving, and facilitating trade on our shared waters year round. Although the St. Lawrence Seaway, Welland Canal and Sault Ste. Marie Locks are closed during the winter months, shipping is still active on the Great Lakes. The Canadian Coast Guard has two icebreakers assigned to the Great Lakes for the entire winter season: the CCGS Griffon and CCGS Samuel Risley. They are also supported by additional Coa
Fire prevention week runs from October 6th to 12th. This year’s theme is “Not every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape”. With the onset of colder temperatures, the increased use of heating devices of all types can increase the risk of fire. First and foremost make sure you have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors properly distributed throughout the home and that they are operational. That means alarms on every story and immediately outside (or in) all sleeping areas. If they are 10 years old or older replace them. The next priority is to have a fire escape plan. Every household needs a fire safety plan and all members of the household need to practice the plan. Fire experts say people could have less than two minutes to escape a burning structure once the alarm g
Boating in the fall offers colourful views, solitude and excellent fishing. It is a truly great time to be on the water. But fall boating also requires extra attention to detail and the ability to be self-sufficient given that there are fewer boaters around should you require assistance. Here are some helpful tips from the Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC) and the Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters to make fall boating safer for you. Check the weather forecast. The weather can change quickly and storms can be more violent. Fog is also more common. Ensure that your boat and engine are in good working order. Ethanol-based fuel can allow water contamination in the tank. The use of a fuel additive prevents water in the fuel line from freezing. Having a backup gas tank onboa
Parry Sound 033 last summer has reminded us that living in a wilderness environment does come with the risk of facing a wildfire. The seemingly drier summer conditions we have been experiencing and an ever increasing population of cottagers, visitors, and development activities can only increase the risk of fire. Many of our members want to know what they can do to lower the risks of fire at their properties and in their communities. That’s where the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) and their FireSmart program comes in. FireSmart is about living with and managing for wildfire. Preparing for the threat of wildfire is a shared responsibility. From homeowners, to industry, to government, we all have the responsibility to lessen the effects of wildfires. FireSmart edu
The very popular and successful "I Got Caught Wearing My Lifejacket" marine reward program for children was kicked off at 11:00 am June 26, 2019, at the Penetanguishene Town Dock. OPP marine officers were joined by Command staff members from OPP Central Region Headquarters, federal, provincial and municipal dignitaries, our partners in water safety BoatSMART, all area municipal fire chiefs, Boating Ontario and most importantly, the grade 6 class from Burkevale Protestant Separate School. Area event sponsor Broker Link Insurance was also on hand to see the launch of the program, which is solely funded by private and business donations. The program rewards children who are wearing their lifejacket when the vessel they are in is checked on the water by OPP marine officers. Started in
The municipality says the areas around Wolseley Bay, Ranger Bay, and Dry Pine Bay are especially vulnerable to flooding. OPP are asking boaters to reduce their speeds as many wharves and docks are currently underwater in the area. The slow down will also reduce wakes and prevent any further shoreline erosion. Residents in the communities of French River, Noelville and Alban are also asked to be cautious when travelling on saturated roads and can notify the municipality if they need sandbags, need assistance, or to report any water hazards. Flood warnings have also been extended through the lower Pickerel River Watersheds. People in the areas around St. Charles, Municipality of French River and the Municipality of Killarney, McConkey Township, Blair Township, Mowat Township, and Henvey I
We recently updated our primer on private buoys. Check it out for great information on regulations, guides and checklists.
Spare change next time you shop at the LCBO?
The 2019 North American Safe Boating Awareness Week ( SBAW) Campaign is ramping up for this year's boating season. Since 1995, this campaign which is organized by the Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC ), has been the mainstay of boating safety outreach to the over 16 million people who recreate on Canadian waters each season. The 2019 campaign will be no exception as they continue to strive to engrain safe and responsible boating practices as second nature on the water. The purpose of Safe Boating Awareness Week is to provide boaters, as they prepare to embark on another boating season, some key reminders that will help to keep them safe on the water throughout the season. At the core of the 2019 campaign are the 5 key messages that the CSBC has been consistently delivering to the
This year GBA has arranged a free supply of these signs for all GBA associations to place on dock ramps and at marinas to help stem the spread of invasive species between water bodies. This year’s campaign is styled: Be a Hero; Transport Zero - How to “Be a Hero, Transport Zero” It only takes one person to create a problem. Most boaters and anglers in Georgian Bay and Northern Lake Huron know that zebra mussels, round gobies, spiny water fleas, Eurasian milfoil and other invasive species harm the environment. But not everyone is doing something about it. Boaters and anglers ignoring the spread of invasive species threaten the local economies along Georgian Bay which rely heavily on tourism, recreation, commerce and real estate. “Be a Hero, Transport Zero” is a campai
From the OPP for Bracebridge (BRACEBRIDGE, ON) - The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Bracebridge Detachment are issuing a warning to early season boaters. Although many of our lakes are still mostly ice covered, the recent surge of melt water will likely begin to break up the ice pack and open the waterways to navigation. OPP wish to remind boaters that the thaw, combined with recent flooding, has left a massive amount of debris floating in the lakes. Timbers from broken structures, trees, and other debris will be scattered across the lakes and may be very difficult to see when partially submerged. Striking debris poses a serious hazard and can be catastrophic to a vessel and its passengers. If you must venture out onto the water, please be on the lookout for such debris
Check out this map, which is updated daily, for flood warnings in your area. -
Boating in the fall offers colourful views, solitude and excellent fishing. It is a truly great time to be on the water. But fall boating also requires extra attention to detail and the ability to be self-sufficient given that there are fewer boaters around should you require assistance. Here are some helpful tips from the Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC) and the Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters to make fall boating safer for you. Check the weather forecast. The weather can change quickly and storms can be more violent. Fog is also more common. Ensure that your boat and engine are in good working order. Ethanol-based fuel can allow water contamination in the tank. The use of a fuel additive prevents water in the fuel line from freezing. Having a backup gas tank onboa
Here are some things to think about around Fire Safety at the cottage: Make sure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are present and working. Have a list of local emergency numbers posted for all to see. Include all pertinent cottage location information. Have the right fire extinguishers in the right places. Have an individual fire plan for evacuation. Make sure your plan has two escape routes. Respect local fire ratings. Have a fire pump and use it regularly to ensure it is in good working order. At the very least have a list of neighbours to call for assistance. Follow your association’s emergency plan if it exists. Make sure you have insurance. Make sure you understand what it covers and that it is adequate to rebuild and covers contents AND fire de
Large wakes continue to be a bone of contention. They cause damage to docks and shorelines and can be very disruptive to cottagers enjoyment of their docks. What can be done? The occasional disruption and damage caused by excessive wakes are an ongoing source of irritation between boaters and cottagers. Boaters are responsible for their wakes and any damage caused by them. But the OPP tells us that damage caused by wakes is a civil issue. And so what you need to do is be able to identify the vessel and the operator and pursue the matter in small claims court if a reasonable result can’t be agreed upon between the parties on their own. However, if a boater is observed to be operating their vessel in a dangerous or careless way then the OPP should be called. They ideally would like t
This past summer there seemed to be a search & rescue operation happening and it left many cottagers confused about what was going on. The questions were about what to do in a situation like that - where to get information, and potentially how to help. When involved in a current investigation the OPP generally will not disseminate info through the media. They most often feel they have the resources to adequately conduct a search. Note that, if the OPP does ask the public for assistance, they are civilly liable if a member of the public gets injured while searching, and so tend not to involve the public. If the OPP is not successful then they will ask the public for assistance through media channels. If people have questions they can call the OPP non emergency ( 1 800-310-1122 ) num
Do you know what your boat insurance covers? I just found out that mine doesn’t cover environmental damage/clean up charges. If there is damage done to the environment from your boat in any way ( spills or collisions or whatever ), the government, whether they clean it up or bring in a private contractor, will bill the owner of each boat involved. Under the Marine Liability Act the responsibility for costs associated with spill clean up resides strictly with vessel owners. And that can be expensive. My wake up call about environmental coverage serves as a reminder that it is a good thing to review the coverage you have on your boat. The following are some of the points you might want to consider. But remember these are general points only. You must discuss and confirm you have the
Here is an outline of boating (vessel) offence excerpts from the Criminal Code, Canada Shipping Act and Ontario Liquor License Act. They were sourced using the online applications, BOATsmart and Shield Basic Ontario and the web site of Ontario Ministry of Transportation. Read here.
What to do about missing or out of place channel markers, faded reflectors, etc. If you notice a missing or out of place channel marker, damaged red triangle or black square or faded reflectors on any of these you should report this information to the Canadian Coast Guard in Parry Sound. You should include as much information as possible including buoy numbers, name of channel or specific location and details of the problem you are reporting. Written notes can be sent to; Canadian Coast Guard Supervisor Operations, Aids to Navigation, 28 Waubeek street, Parry Sound, ON, P2A 1B9 or phoned into 705-773-4322
The Insurance Bureau of Canada and the Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations have compiled the following list of 10 Safety Tips to remind people to make safety a priority getting to and while at the cottage. Here are the top 10 safety tips as you prepare to head up to the cottage, and after you get there. Check your car’s lights, signals, tire pressure and fluids before the trip to the cottage. Check your first-aid kit and replace any missing supplies. Check and maintain cottage smoke detectors and CO detectors. Check the condition of boat(s), including fuel lines and tanks. Check that all required safety equipment is on board and in good repair. Remove dry leaves and debris from the cottage roof and/or eavestroughs to reduce fire risk. Prepare for extreme
Responsibilities of Cottage Owners who rent or lend cottage boats. First, check with your insurance company – are there any issues? If a cottage owner still chooses to make a boat available to a person renting a cottage they should be aware...
Here is a link to a great short video our friends at Safe Quiet Lakes produced on Boat Noise.
By Cottage Life A joy of cottage life often involves walking down to the dock and taking the boat out to indulge in a variety of activities like fishing, parasailing, or water skiing. For the less active among us, there’s always the joy of taking a pleasure cruise out as far as possible before sinking the anchor and simply taking in the sunshine. When you’ve got a boat, there are multiple ways to take advantage of our great summer weather on our rivers and lakes. Our summers may be short, but it’s important to take the time to ensure your boating experiences are both fun and safe, so you and your family can enjoy time together on the water for many summers to come. Here are 5 tips you should follow when you’re out on the water at the cottage this summer and every summer: