2018-Apr-18
Boating
Issues Covered
- Rules and Regulations
- Continued Boating Safety
- Emergency Response Protocols
Lake Michigan-Huron continues to be below the level it was at this time last year – see first graph below. From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are up 8, 3, 4, 3 & 0 inches respectively. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair & Erie are lower by 0, 7, 2 & 0 inches, respectively, and Lakes Ontario is 17 inches higher, than they were at this time last year. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are 4, 10, 14, 13 & 5 inches, respectively, above their long term May average. All the lakes remain well below their May record highs. - In a month’s time Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, & Erie are forecast to be up 4, 2, 0 & 1 inches respectivel
As many head out on the waters for the first long weekend of the season, Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC) wants you to be prepared when you hop in your boat. - This year the CSBC has 5 key focuses to promote safe and responsible boating practices when you’re on the water this season: - Wear Your lifejacket - the majority of recreational boating related deaths in Canada continue to involve individuals who were not wearing a PFD (80%+) and sadly most of these fatalities were avoidable. Boat Sober – the use of any intoxicants (alcohol, cannabis, prescription drugs) is both irresponsible and illegal. Be prepared, You and Your Vessel – make sure you and your boat are properly equipped for your activities. Take a Boating Course – our waterways will be very busy
Lake Michigan-Huron continues to be below the level it was at this time last year – see first graph below. - From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are up 7, 4, 4, 4 & 2 inches respectively. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair & Erie are lower by 3, 8, 4 & 1 inches, respectively, and Lakes Ontario is 17 inches higher than they were at this time last year. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are 2, 10, 13, 13 & inches, respectively, above their long term May average. All the lakes remain well below their May record highs. - In a month’s time Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, & Erie are forecast to be up 4, 2, 2 & 0 inches respectively,
It’s a beautiful sunny day. And you or your family or your guests can’t wait to get on the water. The canoe is just sitting there on the dock so what better way to spend the afternoon on the water than to hop in a canoe, get a tan and soak in nature. There’s no motor, people will be close to shore so what could go possibly wrong - even if the people in the canoe are totally inexperienced? But the fact is that troubling numbers have emerged about the use of canoes and the drowning fatalities associated with them. It seems that people look at canoes as one of the safest on water activities. But nothing could be further from the truth. Last year’s OPP fatality data showed canoes as the vessel type with the most drownings at 10 of the 27 that occurred or 37%. In 2020 the results
GBA is addressing the floating cottages issue on numerous fronts, one of which was to provide comments to the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry (MNR), see here: - GBA Comments to MNR on Floating Cottages - April 16 2022 GBA Follow up Comments to MNR on Floating Cottages - April 19 2022 We anticipate that this will be a long term advocacy requirement across multiple government agencies that will require a coordinated effort to ensure that floating cottages are properly regulated, and full environment protections are in place. See more details here: https://georgianbay.ca/floating-cottages/ -
Lake Michigan-Huron continues to be below the level it was at this time last year – see first graph below. In the next month, water levels on all lakes are forecast to rise except Lake Ontario, which will be near its current level, with Michigan-Huron up about 2 inches. - From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are up 7, 5, 6, 4 & 5 inches respectively. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair & Erie are lower by 6, 9, 2 & 0 inches, respectively, and Lakes Ontario is 19 inches higher than they were at this time last year. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are 0, 9, 15, 13 & 7 inches, respectively, above their long term May average. All the lakes remain well
A 2015 global study on water temperatures showed that the Great Lakes are getting warmer, and getting warmer faster than other lakes around the world. The study found that Lake Huron summer water temperatures increased by 2.1 degrees Celsius over a 25-year period and in the fall of 2021, all five Great Lakes were at record-high temperatures for the season, or about 5-6 degrees above average. The evidence that climate change is warming our waters in irrefutable and the need to do what we can to reduce the environmental risks of deteriorating water quality is becoming more and more important. GBA will continue our work on such matters as septic systems, aquaculture, and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, all of which represent controllable ways to reduce these risks. Read mo
Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons (CPS-ECP) are once again teaming up with Transport Canada and CIL Dealers to undertake a project on education and awareness of safety equipment, the care and maintenance of that equipment and how to safely and effectively use and dispose of flares. Have Your Flares Expired? If your flares have a manufacture date of 2018 or earlier they have or will expire this year. You can’t light them, throw them in the water or in your household garbage to dispose of them. Even when they expire they are extremely dangerous and toxic. Disposing of expired flares has been an ongoing dilemma for boaters across the country. To help boaters dispose of expired flares in a safe and environmentally responsible manner CPS-ECP and selected CIL Dealers are hosting Safet
Study #1 - The Lifesaving Society The Lifesaving Society - Drowning Prevention Research Centre, the lead agency for drowning research in Canada, shared their data in a 2021 report that described the epidemiology of fatal boating related incidents across Canada for the years 2008-2017. The Stats There were almost 500 unintentional water-related deaths each year across Canada for the study years. 21% of these deaths were recreational boating related. 91% of these are males 45% were in the 35-64 age group Children 5-14, where PFD use is highest, account for only ½ of 1% of fatalities Fatalities by type of vessel: Powerboats under 5.5 metres 23% Canoe 23% Powerboats size unknown 15% Power Boat over 5.5 metres 9% Kayak 8% Per
Ontario voters are going to the poll on June 2, 2022. We encourage all GBA members to question prospective MPP candidates for the upcoming Ontario elections on their commitment to protecting the Great Lakes. In particular their intentions with regard to a range of issues that affect the Georgian Bay. This is best done at “all candidates” meetings in your riding, but other meetings, or approaches to individual candidates also provide an opportunity. Accordingly, we have put together a number of suggested questions which we would ask you to consider: Will you support and uphold the provisions of the Great Lakes Protection Act and the Canada Ontario Agreement that binds Ontario into the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (see here for information on the Act and Agreements and GBA
We need your help now! The Decibel Coalition has been working to get regulatory change that will allow enforcement agencies to deal with boat operators who have excessively loud boats. The simple solution is to put limits on the amount of noise that motors can make and the procedures to enforce it. This will give police the tools they need to help control excessively loud boats that affect the quiet enjoyment of our lakes. The federal government, through Transport Canada (TC), has opened consultations on these regulations but only until May 13, 2022. We would like you to go to the TC “Let’s Talk” web page and weigh in on question 5: The following text can be used as a guide: This is the only proposal that can realistically address excessive boat motor noise
This month outflows from Lake Superior into the St. Mary’s River are predicted to be below average, not above average as they have been for almost 3 years prior to the spring of 2021. This shows that, under Plan 2012 balancing, the flow into Lake Michigan-Huron continues to be reduced. Lake Michigan-Huron continues to be below the level it was at this time last year – see first graph below. - From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are up 7, 6, 2, 1 & 5 inches respectively. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair & Erie are lower by 6, 8, 4 & 1 inches, respectively, and Lakes Ontario is 20 inches higher than they were at this time last year. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & On