Florida offers some of the most beautiful waterfront property in the country. Owning land on one of our pristine rivers, lakes or oceans, often means that you also own a boat in order to enjoy the freedom of the waters.
With boat ownership comes some form of responsibility to safety. Many people lose their boats and even their lives by making uninformed decisions in regards to boat safety. With summer rapidly approaching and Memorial Day around the corner, the U.S. Coast Guard has declared May 16th through May 22nd National Safe Boating Week! There will be several locations across the state of Florida that will be offering educational information and vessel examinations during this time, including Tarpon Springs and Palm Harbor in Pinellas County, Florida.
While enjoying your day out on the water be aware of your surroundings, this includes the weather, we've seen quite a bit of rain in the last week, here in Florida. Check the weather forecasts before leaving your house so that you have some idea of what the weather in your area is predicted to be. Keep in mind, though, here in Florida, weather conditions can change rather quickly, you should always be prepared for the worst.
Stay away from alcohol while operating any heavy equipment, including boats. When you take the sun, wind and waves that can possibly impair a boat operators ability to respond to emergency situations quickly, adding alcohol to the mix, is really, well...just plain dumb!
For more Safe Boating Tips visit the U.S. Coast Guard website.
Living in Florida comes with many perks and boating is one of them, however, remember that things can go wrong very quickly off-shore, being prepared is the key to having a safe, memorable day on the water!
