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‘Unpredictable’: State Fish and Boat Commission asks for safe behavior on waterways

Waterways Conservation Officer Hunter Shoemaker cruises along the Susquehanna River recently before the July 4th holiday. Shoemaker and other officers make sure that boaters operate their watercraft within the laws especially during the summer holidays when there is extra traffic on the water. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

“We want to see people being safe on the water,” said Hunter Shoemaker, a waterways conservation officer with the state Fish and Boat Commission.

“We wish people would realize boats are ten times more dangerous than cars. Cars have seat belts, airbags, boats don’t have that. They have a spinning propeller, and they can be total death traps if you are not reasonable and careful,” said Shoemaker.

Waterway Conservation officers are specifically trained in fishery conservation, watercraft safety, and environmental protection, according to the state.

“It’s important for people to be safe on the water. We have had at least three tragic incidents involving the waterways within the last two-month period, ” he added.

With the summer recreation season well underway, Shoemaker shared some ways to keep safe on the river.

Waterways Conservation Officer Hunter Shoemaker cruises along the Susquehanna River recently before the July 4th holiday. Shoemaker and other officers make sure that boaters operate their watercraft within the laws especially during the summer holidays when there is extra traffic on the water. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

“Some of the biggest things we see as violations that are major safety issues, people with children, from 12 and under, not wearing life jackets on boats less than 20 feet in length,” he said.

Wearing your lifejacket even, though it’s not required for certain individuals, is encouraged for everyone in canoes, kayaks and paddleboards, as well as the motorboats, he added.

“The Susquehanna River is unforgiving, it’s unpredictable, one moment currents could be swift, and then they could be calm, so it’s always safe if you are going into that water to wear a life jacket, it will help save your life,” said Shoemaker.

“Another big one is pontoon boats, it’s illegal in Pennsylvania to operate a pontoon boat while underway, with any person outside of the passenger carrying area. So that railing that’s around a pontoon, pontoons can trap people if you go overboard, that’s a very common violation,” said Shoemaker.

Knowing the zones on the waterways is also important.

“We have specific zones on our waterways. The area near the Linden access is a slow no wake area, from 100 feet to ashore. You have to go below slow no wake speed to make sure people that are launching boats are staying safe as well as any down swimmers, moored boats, can’t go above slow no wake speed within 100 feet of those other vessels,” said Shoemaker.

“You see swimmers, you see downed water skiers in the area, stay away from them,” he added.

“I did investigate one boating accident last summer, near the Linden access, one of the ways we can help prevent boating accidents, any incidents, is wearing your engine cutoff switch, that is a mandatory requirement for all jet skis, motorboats, wearing that cutoff switch. If you were to go overboard as the operator, that will cut the engine off, stop that spinning propeller,” he said.

Boating safety isn’t the only concern this time of year, people swimming in the Susquehanna River should also be cautious.

“You know we have had some recent incidents at the dam,” said Shoemaker, referring to the drownings early this year.

“You’ll see currently our West Branch Susquehanna River dam here in Williamsport, has a posted exclusionary zone, that is the buoys. So you cannot wade, swim, have any boats, anybody enter those areas, that is a violation,” added Shoemaker.

People may not realize with the dams that when you see that white water wash out from a dam, that is called the boil line. That boil acts like a washing machine. If you were to go over that dam, you would get sucked back into that dam, and possibly then be a fatality, said Shoemaker.

Fishing from the shorelines is fine, but stay away from the water in those areas, he added.

People may not know their limitations when they have been in the water. They don’t realize that the undercurrent can be super swift.

“It may look one way right now,” said Shoemaker, pointing to the seemingly calm Susquehanna River, “but under the water it’s super swift and dangerous.”

The state Fish and Boat Commission offers online and in person safety courses, which Shoemaker feels could benefit a seasoned or a new boater.

“I’ve had individuals take that course who are exempt and learned something every time.

So just like driving a car you have to take a test, I highly recommend you take a boater safety course,” he added.

Starting at $2.99/week.

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