Outdoor brief

IT'S THE SEASON

Wardens remind boaters to remember safety

As boating season picks up steam, game wardens who patrol the Colorado River System remind boaters to wear life jackets and boat safely as they enter the water for the first few times.

Last year, game wardens noticed an increase in accidents as boaters were towed behind a boat or left a boat voluntarily to go swimming, both popular activities on Lakes Mead and Mohave.

"We see trends in our accidents," said David Pfiffner, NDOW's boating law administrator.

"Last year, we saw far too many people get hurt when they decided to leave the boat, either to take a swim or go skiing. These activities can be dangerous if people don't take care while doing them."

The real kickoff to boating season doesn't start until late May, to coincide with National Safe Boating Week May 22-28, but many people are already boating now because the weather is nice this time of year in Southern Nevada.

"We get a ton of boaters this time of year," said Mike Maynard, game warden lieutenant for Southern Nevada.

"Boaters are really itching to get on the water, and we always have trouble early in the season when people don't remember to check their equipment or forget the safety practices they built up over the previous summer."

Early season accidents are common, said Maynard, and this year the National Park Service, NDOW, and a large group of Lake Mead National Recreation Area concessionaires are teaming up for the second year in a row to promote outdoor recreation and boating safety on the Colorado River System in a program that starts May 28.

"We're delighted to be bringing safety messages to our public," Pfiffner said.

"But we want to catch these early boaters before we have a serious accident."

To promote safety, there will be announcements of events and prizes given away all throughout the summer. Boaters can learn about the summer program or take a boating education course at www.funonthelake.com.