Law enforcement warns boaters, beachgoers to be cautious during Labor Day weekend
CLEARWATER BEACH, Fla. - Ahead of what’s expected to be a busy Labor Day weekend, Florida officials want to warn the public of safety measures they should remember while on the water.
Florida was number one in boating accidents across the U.S. in 2019, with 79 fatalities recorded in 2020, up from 65 in 2019. In the Bay Area, four of those fatalities occurred in Pinellas County, nine in Manatee County and 10 in Sarasota County.
Officials stress absolutely no drinking while operating a boat, remembering to check your safety gear, and obeying all posted signs including no-wake zones and channel markers.
"If you leave the channel, you can be in one foot of water and you can be run aground and the tide switches, and you can be stuck for many hours," said Petty Officer Third Class Kameron Sidwell with the U.S. Coast Guard.
Drownings at Apollo Beach preserve prompt changes
The Apollo Beach Nature Preserve is still closed after three drownings last week. Rip currents are a problem at the site and county leaders are working to keep swimmers safe before they reopen.
Then, there are warnings regarding rip currents, powerful channels of water that move toward the Gulf and away from the shoreline. Sarasota County lifeguards say they’ve already performed more than 100 water rescues from January to June this year, most of them rip current-related.
"If you get caught in a rip current, don’t panic, said Sarasota County Lifeguard Captain Roy Routh. "Tread water and try to break the grip of the rip by swimming parallel to shore. If you’re struggling or having trouble, don’t be afraid to call for help."
READ: After tragic drownings, county installs more warning signs at Apollo Beach Nature Preserve
Back in June, three people died after drowning in rip currents in the Apollo Beach Nature Preserve waters. Kristoff Murray, 27, jumped in and tried to save Janosh Purackal and his 3-year-old son when he saw them struggling in the water. All three perished.
If you do plan to go swimming this holiday weekend, keep in mind that some beaches have health advisories issued regarding high levels of bacteria.
That includes Bahia, Ben T Davis, Davis Islands, Cypress Point, E.G. Simmons, Picnic Island beaches. This should be considered a potential risk to the bathing public and swimming is not recommended. Samples taken were above threshold for enterococci bacteria. The beach will be re-sampled on or around September 8.