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Stella knows this is a Holiday Weekend in the United States! A great US Holiday, the fourth of July! She is raring to go. Being on a boat for fireworks is highly desirable and very dangerous! Yes, the Yahoos are out in full force. It is a disservice to all boaters and an unsafe practice not to follow "No Wake" signs. No Wake means slow down and don't throw a wake! Duh! Usually that sign is in place near marinas, gas docks, swimming areas, etc. Last week a (60 footer)decided he wasn't following the No wake sign near our dock. An eight year old boy was tossed off his docked boat by the rocking the wake caused. Luckily, the young boy has grown up on boats and is pretty agile and managed to take the toss and turn it into a leap onto the dock...but it could have been fatal! Yes, a pretty large number of boating fatalities happen at the dock! In this instance if the boy had fallen off his boat between the rocking boat and the dock, he could have hit his head and drowned, been badly cut, so many potential deadly scenerios and thank God none of them happened. So, on this holiday, if you are the Captian or just a guest (speak up, yes that bad stomach feeling isn't sea sickness) and...slow down! Your wake and boating decisions affect everyone. I don't know a boater that doesn't have a bad story to tell. Stella's Admiral is on a preaching run! So, my last suggestion is don't go out in lightening! Again, a good idea, that is ignored! Last night Captain David so wanted to take his son out on Stella, but there was thunder and lightening. Captain David we know is pretty sensible, but the other boaters that were going out and his son were egging him on. Again, it is the Admiral out on the bow in the lightening and rain, so you know going out was ruled out! It is hard when you have invited guests, it is hard on a holiday, it is hard when you see other boaters still going out....but Stella's advise is DON'T! Please be safe this weekend.
Blue skies and calm water,
Tracy
