As Paddling Soars in Popularity, So Do Deaths

ST. CLAIR SHORES, MI — In a recent 30-day period, almost an accident a day occurred on the Great Lakes involving paddlecraft, the fastest growing sector of the recreational boating industry, officials from the U.S. Coast Guard’s St. Clair Shores station said.

The 27 accidents involving canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards over a 30-day period, accounted for half of all deaths on the Great Lakes so far this year, and in 90 percent of the fatalities, the paddlers were not wearing life jackets, the Coast Guard said,nothing an increase from previous years.

The rapid growth of the paddling has been accompanied with “a deluge of inexperienced boaters,” the Coast Guard said, according to a report on WDIV-TV. “With this lack of experience often comes a lack of knowledge of safe practices.”

In a statement, the Coast Guard said it has seen an increase in paddlecraft cases where paddlers unexpectedly capsize while not wearing life jackets, get separated from their vessels or are unable to re-enter, and have trouble staying afloat while waiting to be rescued.

The single most important thing a paddler can to to stay safe is wear a life jacket. Most paddlers can survive for hours in the water if wearing life jackets, but their chances of surviving are greatly decreased if they’re not wearing life vests.

Paddlers should also learn to “read the water,” the Coast Guard said. This means only taking on weather and water conditions for which you are physically and mentally prepared and learning rescue skills necessary to assist others.

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The St. Clair Shores Coast Guard station asks the greater Detroit boating boating community to follow these safety practices:

• Wear a life jacket, the easiest and most effective way to prevent loss of life on the water, even for strong swimmers.
• Keep a cellphone or handheld VHF radio on board, which allows the boater to reach out for help before it is too late.
• Use a light in night-time paddling. Not only is the equipments federally required while on Lake St. Clair and surrounding waterways, it can be used to signal other boaters or shore stations of an emergency.
• File a float plan. This can assist the Coast Guard’s search in the event of distress.
• Take a safety course, whether you’re a novice or experienced padler, to learn or refresh yourself on techniques such as re-entering or re-righting canoes and kayaks, proper paddling techniques, and how to “read” the weather to avoid wind, waves and currents that may be dangerous.

Image credit: Beth Dalbey / Patch.com