By Eddie Persichetti, Law Enforcement Training Coordinator and lifelong boaterOnce again, it’s the time of year when we put away the water skis and pull out the crab pots. The endless supply of unmatching flip-flops and faded beach towels goes into one storage bin, and here come the wool hats, camouflage float coats, and rubber boots which still have the scent of salt, salmon, and the sea from the year before. I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and smile, and then the realization kicks in that the fall boating season is around the corner, and it’s time to prepare. It's without a doubt that we Oregonians have some of the best boating in the country. Many of us, myself included, suddenly find ourselves immersed in an endless supply of kayaks, paddleboards, drift boats, rafts, tubes, powerboats, and all the gear that comes with these and then we still ask ourselves, “What am I missing?” There's always one more thing we need when it comes to the world of boating and for us here in Oregon, we’re able to ask that question all year round. Let’s face it, boating is fun, that’s why we all have the addiction to walking through the local marine supply store on a Friday evening and trying to seek the answer to that question of “What am I missing?” You’re more than likely not missing a thing because those extra drain plugs you bought last year are buried in the glove box of your jet sled. But did you happen to check to see if the inflatable life jacket you bought online two years ago actually works? Did you happen to pack extra snacks for your 6-year-old? Let’s play this out. As you’re pulling up the crab traps with an outgoing tide, your child is screaming that they're hungry and your concentration is getting diverted. Now boating is going from fun to "done" and your kicker has just wrapped a crab pot, spinning your stern into the current, all because you didn’t pack extra goldfish crackers. Your engine stalls, and before you know it, the shear strength of the current is pounding the back of your boat pushing water over the stern, and you’re still being beckoned for goldfish crackers. You look down and those 5-gallon buckets you had to hold your limits of "Dungies" are floating, your boat is sinking, and you still have no goldfish crackers. Off in the distance, you see a boat nearby and begin waving but, your waving is cut short to grab your child and jump into the 46-degree water. Fortunately, your child considers their life jacket to be like their favorite bedtime stuffie. But you soon realize after immersion in the cold water, despite your child floating in their life jacket soundly, the life jacket you bought online for yourself did not have the CO cartridge installed, so essentially, you’re a sinking ship...on top of your ship that has now sunk. You begin waving as fast as you can while your breath becomes shorter and (let’s give this a happy ending), a good Samaritan boater suddenly comes alongside and pulls you both out of the water and calls for help. After conversing with local marine law enforcement who helped safely bring you back to shore, you and your child get in your truck and head to the nearest grocery store. Walking through the aisles at the store with a trail of wet Scooby Doo tracks, you buy one thing… goldfish crackers. They have never tasted so good in your life. So, I ask you again, “What are you missing?” You may have been missing the thought that when bad things happen on the water, they happen fast. The mere fact that a $2 safety whistle that was in your glove box would be way more effective if it were attached to your life jacket. The life jacket you bought online two years ago came with instructions that you threw out when you opened the box. And to top it off, Goldfish Crackers were on sale that week, 2-for-1, and you totally missed that deal. Listen, I hope I speak to many in saying this, but as an Oregonian, boater, husband, and dad, I want to come home safe at the end of the day. That’s it. For me, that means wearing my life jacket (which has a whistle attached), ensuring the snacks are packed, and double-checking that the fun factor is well thought through in advance. Will bad things happen? Sure, they will, but our ability to prepare accordingly and make sure we don’t forget the little things will certainly ease the stack of fear factors when the big things happen. The worst thing we can say is, “That will never happen to me” because trust me, from a lifetime of boating, it CAN. Next time you head out onto the water, instead of asking yourself, “What am I missing?”, maybe ask yourself, “Am I prepared to come home to my family tonight safely?” It brings a whole new light to boating. Now go out there and enjoy the smell of the salty air, salmon, and sea...because as boaters, we share a common passion. That passion is the love of recreating on Oregon’s waterways, safely. |