boating safety
Scallop Seminar 2019–Jump The Gun on the Big Bend’s Recreational Scallop Season!
The 2019 recreational bay scallop season begins June 15 for Dixie and most of Taylor counties. If you’re headed to the coast and are interested in knowing a) how to scallop, b) the rules that apply to the harvest and c) where to find scallops this season, be sure to head over to the Steinhatchee …
BoatUS Advises “K.I.S.S.” Principle for Safe Boating Week May 16-22, 2015
Here’s some excellent advice from the BoatUS Foundation: ANNAPOLIS, Md., – May 16-22 is National Safe Boating week, reminding anyone who spends their time on the water to think about ways they’ll have a great summer and avoid any chance of becoming US Coast Guard statistic. The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water …
Suwannee River Sturgeon Safety–Don’t Get Hit By a Jumping Fish!
Yes, the Suwannee River is a great place to boat and fish, but during the summer months, the sturgeon are jumping. So take it easy and heed this advice from Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: It’s an ugly fish with a face only another sturgeon could love. It’s the prehistoric-looking, sucker-mouthed, scute-covered Gulf …
a WORD about WEATHER while on the WATER!
Don’t get me wrong, but Florida can have some nasty weather. It can be bone-chilling cold in the winter months. And it can be swelteringly (if that’s a word?) hot in summer. However, summertime is the time of year that tropical depressions–and even tropical fronts–can bring lightning down on the heads of unwary and unsuspecting …
Boating Safety Checklist–Good Advice From U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
Boaters Should Use a Checklist Before Getting Underway WASHINGTON- Keeping track of appointments or events has become more complex in a very over scheduled world. A list of reminders added to the calendar on the refrigerator or in the smartphone can help make sure nothing is forgotten. When it comes to leisure time a checklist …
Use Your ‘Down Time’ to Refresh Your Boating Skills
From the US Coast Guard Auxiliary: Are you patiently waiting for the ice to thaw or the weather to warm up so you can finally get your boat back on the water again? Then why not use the down time productively and take a boating safety class conducted by your local Coast Guard Auxiliary flotilla? …
Even in Florida, Cold Weather Boating Requires Extra Caution and Preparation
From the US Coast Guard Auxiliary: While the majority of boaters in colder parts of the country have winterized their boats or put them into storage until spring, many of us in Florida still rely on our vessels for hunting, fishing or necessary transportation in cold weather, substantially increasing our risk of a deadly accident. …
Weighing Anchor the Easy Way
From the U.S.C.G. Auxiliary: Weighing anchor doesn’t have to be difficult. The Coast Guard Auxiliary recommends these simple steps: • Motor up to the anchor until the line is vertical • Pull up the anchor • If the anchor is stuck motor across the anchor location. This will usually break the anchor loose • If …