LIVING HERE

Boating season is here.
Piers and buoys are in, boat tours have started, and water activities are taking over Geneva Lake. Keep the fun on the water coming, whether it’s a fishing boat, a canoe, or a personal watercraft that “floats your boat,” but also remember safety is more important. Operator inexperience, inattention, recklessness, and speeding are the four leading causes of tragic watercraft crashes, and the leading cause of death is drowning. We want everyone to have a safe and fun-filled summer.

Life jackets are at the core of safe boating and even good swimmers still need life jackets. When people fall off a boat, they may become disoriented, injured, or unconscious. Respect your limits and keep within your limits to avoid injury. Don’t drink and drive a boat, alcohol affects judgment, vision, balance, and coordination. Once on the water, use common sense; in a split second, a situation can arise, or the weather can turn. If you notice storm clouds, a sudden temperature drop, or wind speed increasing, play it safe and get off the water. Overloading a boat with gear or passengers will make the boat unstable and increase the risk of capsizing or swamping. Abide by the boat’s capacity plate which is located near the boat operator’s position.

Let’s make summer 2025 a season with no boat-related injuries and bring everyone home safely.