Coast Guard Kicks Off 'Safe Boating Week'

MARIN COUNTY, CA – The U.S. Coast Guard kicked off National Safe Boating Week on Saturday with a water safety fair in Sausalito.

Members of the Coast Guard, volunteers from the Coast Guard Auxiliary and Marin County Fire Department officials held the fair at Coast Guard Station Golden Gate, where visitors received vessel safety checks,
paddle board safety seminars, some free life jackets and tours of rescue boats.

National Safe Boating Week started Saturday and runs through Friday, and serves as a reminder for recreational boaters to always wear life jackets.

Coast Guard statistics from 2015 showed that 85 percent of those who drowned in recreational boating accidents that year were not wearing life jackets.

Along with wearing life jackets, Coast Guard officials encourage mariners to always have a working marine-band radio on board their vessel, carry marine flares, ensure their bilge pumps are working, monitor local
weather and water conditions before heading out, and to file a float plan with family or friends.

More information about boating safety can be found online at www.uscgboating.org.

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--Bay City News/Images via Coast Guard