As migrating Mariners take to the water this Spring the Coast Guard urges caution Each year as spring approaches, recreational boating traffic typically increases. This is the time when thousands of “snowbirds”, people who spend the winter months in warmer, Southern climates, sail or motor back to the North for the summer. Much of this traffic can be seen along the Atlantic Intra-coastal Waterway (AIWW), a navigable line of passages stretching out from the tip of Florida to Virginia. The waterway runs about 1,200 miles between mainland and offshore islands, along rivers, through lakes, lagoons, bays and canals. Because of shoaling conditions, the U.S. Coast Guard encourages mariners transiting the AIWW to be cautious and boat safely this spring. Shoaling is a particularly shallow area in a navigable body of water that can create a hazard to navigation. Shoaling conditions are dynamic. Water depths can change radically and unevenly by the accumulation of silt or by the energy of passing storms like Hurricane Isabel, which whipped through the area last fall.
One way to identify dangers on the water is to consult the Broadcast Notice to Mariners (BNM), or Local Notice to Mariners (LMN). You can find BNMs and LNMs on the Internet at www.navcen.uscg.gov/lnm. These notices tell boaters about everything from waterway conditions, status of aids to navigation, bridge operations and waterway construction projects.
Shoaling conditions along the AIWW have impacted commercial and recreational use of the waterway. The Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for operating and maintaining U.S navigable waterways for commercial navigation. In recent years, funding has become restrained to the point that some waterways have not been maintained for some time.
The Corps of Engineers uses channel-surveying equipment, to identify the areas of shoaling that greatly restrict vessel drafts and create hazardous boating conditions, and then passes that information to the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard will then issue vessel draft restrictions.
Currently, there are numerous locations on the AIWW, particularly along the Wilmington, N.C., Charleston, S.C., Savannah, Ga., and Jacksonville, Fla., coastlines, that are restricting or preventing recreational, as well as commercial, navigation. The Coast Guard marks best available water depths, until water depths reach 4 feet, when aids to navigation are withdrawn. Parts of the AIWW are at the four-foot minimum now.
Aside from checking the local notice to mariners for vital information to help fix their position, boaters are also encouraged to; wear lifejackets, take a safe boating course, get a vessel safety check. Boaters are also urged not to boat under the influence.
Wear Your Life Jacket – Personal flotation devices must be Coast Guard approved, in good, serviceable condition, and the appropriate size for the intended user. The most important thing you can do to stay safe is to wear a life jacket anytime you’re on the water. The leading cause of boating deaths is drowning. Many accidents happen so suddenly there is simply no time to put on your life jacket. The time to have your life jacket on is before you ever leave the dock. Forget the image of life jackets being orange, bulky, and uncomfortable, today’s technologically advanced life jackets are inconspicuous and some double as fishing vests or jackets. Go to your nearest marine supply store, or go online for the best selection. Whichever one you choose, make sure you also choose to wear it!
Take America’s Boating Course – Boater education saves lives. Research shows most boating fatalities occur on boats where the operator had not completed a boating safety education course. Courses cover many aspects of boating safety, from boat handling to reading the weather. To learn boating safety your way, visit www.AmericasBoatingCourse.com, or call 1-866-BOAT-ABC (1-866-262-8222).
Get a Vessel Safety Check – A Vessel Safety Check is a non-enforcement, courtesy examination of your vessel to verify the presence and condition of certain safety equipment required by state and federal regulations. The vessel examiners are trained specialists and members of the United States Power Squadrons or the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. The examiners will also discuss certain safety issues that will make you a safer boater and supply you with a copy of the evaluation to help you follow the suggestions given. Vessels that pass can display the distinctive VSC decal. To get a vessel safety check for your boat, visit www.VesselSafetyCheck.org, or call 1-800-368-5647.
Don’t Boat under the influence – Boating under the influence, or boating while intoxicated, is just as deadly as drinking and driving. It is illegal to operate a boat while under the influence of alcohol or drugs in every state. There are stringent penalties for violating BUI/BWI laws, which can include large fines, suspension or revocation of boat operator privileges, and jail terms.
A wealth of boating safety tips and information can be found on the Internet. Visit one of the sites below for more information:
The U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center website:
Find the latest GPS and DGPS outage information, navigational rules, almanacs, etc., at www.navcen.uscg.gov/Default.htm
Float Plan Central: The Official Site of the Float Plan:
The Official Site of the Float Plan at
Boat Safe Boating Safety Courses, Safe Boating Tips:
Boating safety courses with safety quizzes and tips as well as a nationally approved Basic Boating Safety Course that can be completed online at