After responding to a pair of non-fatal boating incidents on two County lakes last weekend, Haliburton Highlands OPP is preaching the importance of implementing good habits to stay safe on the open water.
Police confirmed a 20-year-old from Bobcaygeon was charged with impaired operation following a boating collision on Kennisis Lake July 27. Three individuals sustained non-life-threatening injuries after the boat they were travelling in struck an island during the early hours of the morning.
Two days earlier, on July 25, emergency services attended an incident at Horseshoe Lake Road and Bethel Road in Minden following reports that two people were ejected from a watercraft at the Minden Whitewater Preserve, resulting in injuries.
One person was retrieved from the water with a suspected back injury, with the second sustaining a suspected leg injury.
While all involved avoided ultimate disaster, Haliburton Highlands OPP Cst. Hillary Newman said bad boating behaviour can cost lives.
The Highlands detachment has officers trained to handle marine investigations, with officers maintaining a strong presence on County lakes through summer. Newman said there are proactive waterway patrols scheduled throughout summer.
“We have so many bodies of water up here, big and small, so it’s important for people to know we’re out there. We don’t want to have to respond to any sort of emergency situation in the water, we want to try to resolve those before they happen,” she said, noting the detachment has its own boating equipment and is routinely assisted by nearby departments.
While she couldn’t provide specific numbers, Newman said impaired boating has been an issue this year.
“We see impaired operation across the board, [for boating] it’s definitely similar to driving,” she said.
“It’s important to note that, for the majority of boats there’s no open alcohol containers allowed. You’re only allowed to drink on the larger vessels, which we don’t typically see on our smaller lakes. “It’s equally important to be mindful of alcohol consumption even before going out on the water. The consequences for impaired boating are the same as for impaired driving – you lose your licence. Even if you’re charged with operating a vessel while impaired, you won’t be able to operate a motor vehicle,” Newman said.
Since 2020 there have been 81 boating fatalities across Ontario. Haliburton Highlands is among the top five detachments for boat-related deaths since 2015, with 10.
The Haliburton detachment puts a strong focus on educating the public about boating safety, Newman said, with lifejackets a top priority.
“It’s not enough just having them on the boat. People need to wear one anytime they’re on the water, and make sure they’re in good working order,” she said. “You’d hate to need it in an emergency and then find out it doesn’t fit or it’s fallen off the boat.”
She said boat owners should also carry a whistle and bucket – to attract attention and divert water in emergency situations.
Newman said it’s also important to keep an eye on small children and inexperienced swimmers around the water.
“It doesn’t take long, and it doesn’t take deep water for tragedy to strike… focus on teaching your kids how to swim. It’s important for kids to be comfortable with water and know their limits. People come into the lakes up here after only swimming in a pool – just knowing about the currents and how quickly things can change is important,” Newman said. “It’s a different world swimming in open water.”
She called on the public to help police keep lakes safe, encouraging anyone witnessing dangerous or erratic behaviour on the water to contact OPP. The non-emergency line is available 24/7 at 1-800-310-1122.
“We have a ton of lakes in our area, so we really do rely on input from the public to direct our efforts,” she said.
