[OSMB-News] News Release -Big Crowds Expected on Area Waterways –Play it Safe

[Ashley Massey]

For Immediate Release                                                   Date: Thursday, August 12, 2010

Big Crowds Expected on Area Waterways –Play it Safe
 
            Mother Nature is bringing summer back in full force with temperatures expected to be in the 90’s, which means area waterways will be predictably congested.  The Marine Board urges people escaping to the waterways this weekend to bring with them plenty of patience and a plan for their excursion.  
            “The most important thing is to know the waterway you’re going to, especially Oregon's rivers, where there are numerous underwater hazards.  Know where those hazards are by scouting ahead or doing other research,” says Ashley Massey, public information officer for the Oregon State Marine Board.  Rivers are constantly changing and can change quickly.   “Take for example a fallen tree -it will alter the flow of the current from meandering and gentle, to a rapid, choppy and potentially dangerous flow that steers floaters directly into it.  If you know how to read the river and know what to look for, by staying alert, you'll be able to avoid any potential hazards in time,” Massey adds.
“It's also important to keep in mind that even when it’s hot outside, the water can still cold, especially at deeper water depths.  This means that it won't take too long before legs and arms can cramp up.  The key is in the planning.  “If you plan to float a stretch of river, make it a short float.  When you take out and head back for another run, your body will have time to warm back up.”  
It's also important to stay hydrated, Massey says.  “Avoid liquids that will dehydrate your body, like alcohol.  Being in the elements will naturally cause dehydration.” 
In Oregon it’s required for boats less than 16 feet in length and all canoes, rafts and kayaks to carry a Type I, II or III life jacket that properly fits each person on board, and carry a sound producing device.  “A lifejacket is the single most important piece of equipment a boater can carry.  It will keep a person’s head above of the water and reduce the chances of swallowing water into the lungs.  It’s important for people to wear life jackets on float toys as well, like a float mattress or inner-tubes because of their unstable nature,” Massey emphasizes.  “And a whistle is a good example of a sound producing device because the sound will amplify over the surface of the water, alerting people that you're in distress.  Whistles are inexpensive and can be life savers.  Remember the scene from the movie, Titanic?”  
In Oregon, 85 to 90 percent of recreational boating fatalities involve people not wearing a life jacket.   Many fatalities occur in lakes and rivers when it’s sunny, with calm water conditions.   Operator inattention, inexperience, excessive speed, improper lookout and alcohol rank as the top five primary contributing factors in boating-related accidents and fatalities. 
For more information on water safety, visit www.boatoregon.com/OSMB/safety/safety.shtml.
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Ashley A. Massey
Public Information Officer
Oregon State Marine Board
503-378-2623
503-378-8587 ext. 82623
ashley.massey at state.or.us

www.boatoregon.com
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"Go with the flow." 
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