Southern Georgian Bay Marine Report:
Boaters checked by marine officers from the Southern Georgian Bay OPP in even late August continue to be short on essential vessel safety equipment and life jackets. Over the August 19-28, 2022, time period officers checked 82 vessels for safety equipment resulting in 12 operators being charged and 14 operators were warned for violations under the Canada Shipping Act.
Marine officers logged 69 hours of patrol time on the waters of Georgian Bay focusing efforts on Giants Tomb and Beckwith Island areas along with patrols of Gloucester Pool and the Trent System keeping a watch for impaired operators. Five operators were tested on the roadside screening device for blood/alcohol levels and two of those operators received a 3 – day drivers licence suspension and six operators were served tickets for Liquor Licence Control Act offences.
Numerous investigations were also conducted as the officers responded to 16 calls for service on numerous bodies of water located within the Detachment patrol area.
Marine Accident:
Officers are currently conducting an injury investigation after a unresponsive 55 year old male was removed from the waters of Six Mile Lake near Winding Way. Emergency Services were dispatched at 8:30 p.m. August 28, 2022 to assist the male who had been operating a personal watercraft when he went into the water. Anyone with information or who may have observed this incident / has video surveillance footage is asked to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or opp.southern.georgian.bay@opp.ca .
Don’t Feed the Bears
Marine officers attended several islands on Georgian Bay and spoke with cottagers in reference to bear sightings and problems with bears. As the summer season nears to a close, so do the wild food sources that bears count on for their next meal. Leaving untidy garbage cans, poorly cleaned BBQ’s, bird feeders and improper ways of disposing of food products only helps to invite bears and possibly their cubs to your cottage.