Plea To Take It Easy As People Head For Sea

Illawarra Mercury

Friday December 26, 2008

By BRETT COX

BECAUSE Boxing Day is a notoriously busy day for rescues on the water, authorities are warning people planning to go boating or swimming to be careful today.

Lifesavers have urged those planning to take a dip - and who might be weighed down by Christmas food and drinks from yesterday - not to go out too far in the sea and to swim between the flags.

And the Coast Guard has warned people planning on taking boats out to make sure they register their trip.

"At this time of year we have a lot of people going out for recreational reasons," Coast Guard Port Kembla squadron commodore Bruce Mitchell said.

"About 99.9 per cent of the people we have to help or rescue are people who haven't logged on with us."

By making a call to the Coast Guard, Volunteer Rescue Association's Marine Rescue, or Coastal Patrol - depending on how far south in the Illawarra you enter the ocean - you can be sure that if you don't return by the scheduled time the authorities will begin a process to find you.

Mr Mitchell said people planning to use a boat that hasn't been in the water for a while should make sure it is working properly.

State Ports and Waterways Minister Joe Tripodi has also warned boaters to go easy on alcohol, reminding people the same drinking and driving rules apply on the water as on the road.

"It is the responsibility of skippers to stay under the 0.05 blood alcohol limit, or face the prospect of heavy fines and possible jail sentences," he said.

The warning follows two incidents on the Central Coast last weekend in which the skipper of an 8m runabout and the skipper of a 12m yacht were each found to be over 0.05 after random breath tests.

Mr Tripodi said NSW Maritime Boating Safety Officers and Water Police would be on the water every day during the holiday period checking safety equipment, speed and alcohol.

"There is always increased boating traffic in summer for events - like the Sydney-Hobart race," Mr Tripodi said.

"Responsible and safe boating means the skipper of any vessel needs to go easy on the drink at all times."

Mr Tripodi said studies in Australia and New Zealand had shown alcohol was a factor in one-third of all boating fatalities.

© 2008 Illawarra Mercury

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