It’ll be a hot one today but clear skies for most of the state mean there’s likely to be tons of boaters out on the water celebrating American independence.
Safety will be paramount today as seven boaters have died so far this year and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries spokesperson Adam Einck says 80 percent of all bodies pulled out of the water did not have a life jacket…
“We have a lot of boaters who feel they have a lot of experience, and that’s great, but anything can happen out on the water. You can be rendered unconscious, you can break a leg, you can make it to where you can’t swim and a lifejacket will keep you afloat.”
Boaters in southeast Louisiana, particularly around Lake Ponchartrain need to keep an eye out for large, floating colonies of greenish-blue toxic algae. Einck says it’s best to just steer clear if you see one…
“Hopefully in a few weeks or so this won’t be a problem anymore, but just for now it’s definitely something that you have to be aware of that it might be in your area, and maybe there are areas that you used to swim in that you have to avoid.”
Fishing advisories have been posted for anglers in the Ponchartrain area related to toxic algae blooms.
July 4th and a cold beer are a great combination but if you’re piloting your watercraft, you’ll need to wait until to get home to indulge. Einck says find yourself a designated captain.
“The same exact rules that apply in your car apply on a vessel. The operator must be sober. If he is impaired and he’s been caught, he faces the exact same DWI penalties as if he was driving a car.”
Captains with blood alcohol contents of .08 percent or higher can be charged with Boating Under the Influence.
