Holiday Weekend on the Water

[LadyFish]

Living on an island the tourists come in droves on a holiday weekend. Yesterday there were an extra 120,000 people here and another 100,000 are expected today. For some reason the ones on the water have no regard for safety.<br /><br />We went to an area on the bay call the "Crash Boat Basin" to wait for friends to watch the fireworks by boat.<br /><br />I have never seen more unsafe boating before in my life. The basin is about a mile long and maybe 75 yards wide. Houses on both sides with docks. This area does not have a no-wake zone and for the life of me I can't figure out why.<br /><br />There were at least 75 boats and jet skis in the area. Every boat was loaded to capacity and then some, and most were towing a skiier or toy on the back. In addition, every jet ski had 2 riders and some of them were towing. There were speed boats, runabouts, yachts and swimmers all in this small area, it was a free-for-all. <br /><br />We sat there in the boat at the end of the basin for about a hour and a half waiting for our party to arrive and watched the mayhem. Not only were kids not wearing life jackets but parents let small children ride on the bowrail in this very turbulent water. There is no excuse for stupidity and we saw plenty. Its only a matter of time before someone gets killed.

 

[eurolarva]

Re: Holiday Weekend on the Water

I went fishing yesterday and could not believe what I saw. Jet skis being run by kids no older then 12, water skiers and jet skis intimidating fishermen. Had to take a dramamine for all the wakes I sat though. I asked the local law enforcement if I can leave one of my fishing poles at home and bring a 22 rifle instead. They told me that is illegal and I would get a ticket. Sure could use Muskyones boat. He can do 70 mph and outrun those jet skiers.

 

[Stratosfied]

Re: Holiday Weekend on the Water

LadyFish, what gets me about all this and many other occurances of this nature, is that when someone gets hurt or drowns, then all the 'dogooders' will get together and try to legislate more laws. I don't think that we need to have more laws for watercraft but that the persons operating them to be responsible for the safe operation of that vehicle. I think that we all know what would happen if a kid was running a motorcylcle up and down a narrow street at an excessive speed. Most people, it seems, do not respect the dangers of the water enough IMO. And alot of the holiday traffic are users who don't usually go out on any other ocassion.

 

[snapperbait]

Re: Holiday Weekend on the Water

Them holiday weekends, you won't catch me anywhere near the water.... Been there, done that, ain't worth it.... Too many wallys....

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Holiday Weekend on the Water

I hate to harp on this, but we just got back in from fishing and again saw a boat at wide open throttle screaming across the bay with small children riding on the bow of the boat.

 

[crab bait]

Re: Holiday Weekend on the Water

factor in booze.. now were talkin' major idiots.. <br /><br />when i lived in lewis del,, an major tourist population,, we'd call em 'TOURONS'..nice place to live 9 months of the year..<br /><br />i just stayed local .. friends b-b-q's.. an watched fireworks in wilmington off the deck of kahunaville.. where last month bob dylan performed..

 

[Link]

Re: Holiday Weekend on the Water

Originally posted by snapperbait:<br /> Them holiday weekends, you won't catch me anywhere near the water.... Been there, done that, ain't worth it.... Too many wallys....

Man I agree. I wont go near a major lake on any holiday! Learned that lesson many years ago. We wont go into HOW many years <br /><br />LadyFish good post and it gets scary watching all that just on weekends but add in a holiday and it makes you wonder why more people are not killed.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Holiday Weekend on the Water

Our boat ramp parking holds about 400 vehicles, It was completly full, and there were vehicles and trailers parked everywhere they could pull over. (Normally durring the week, you can be the only one there, and durring a normal week end there may be 50-100 cars there). This is one of the first years we stayed in the area as its a mad house on holidays.

 

[JoeW]

Re: Holiday Weekend on the Water

Yep, this is certainly the time of year when I contemplate just how overpopulated this planet is. I begin to wonder whether we've made it just a little too safe. Many of these idiots would not have lived long had they been born just 20 years earlier. The other day I saw three little Honda civics racing down the freeway at near 100 mph dodging other cars as if they were playing a video game.

 

[Terry H]

Re: Holiday Weekend on the Water

I normally stay in, but this year I joined the pilgrims...every time I do I say "never again". I think there were 5000 running lights out on Payette Lake watching the fireworks...left mine home...

 

[javamonkee]

Re: Holiday Weekend on the Water

Ladyfish, you'll appreciate this.<br />I grew up riding the bow rail on Dad's Sea Ray as we cruised up and down the Mississippi. Dad was a life-time boater and handled the boat well, but still ... i recall feeling a bit precarious at times though it was thrilling, I'll give ya that.<br />So, when hubby and I bought our first boat a few weeks back and took the fam for a first-time voyage, Mom (Dad passed away a few years back) suggested we let our 7-year-old sit on the rail, "Like you used to do, for old time's sake". One look at Mom and it was "HECKFIRE AND PERDITION! I DON'T THINK SO!" I secured his PFD to his little body and sat him down to review Mommy's rules of boating, which I had drilled into him for the past month, including: we sit on a seat or we'll be sitting on a beach.<br />Mom felt I was being too protective but here's how I see it: I worked too darn hard to bring my kids into this world - not gonna do anything foolish to take them out of it.<br />So, Ladyfish, though my family's boating tradition is once again running strong, rest assured that the rail-riding tradition ends here and now.