Water safety rules apply to all
In a now-deleted tweet, Saint John–rothesay Member of Parliament Wayne Long posted a photo of himself enjoying time on a boat with friends. There was just one problem–the operator, sitting behind the wheel while the boat was clearly underway, had a beer in his hand.
According to Transport Canada, thanks to sun, sea, and wind, a single drink on the water is equivalent to three on land. Consumption of alcohol can only occur on pleasure craft that feature permanent sleeping, cooking and toilet facilities, and only when the vessel is tied up alongside or at anchor. In most provinces, drinking and boating carries the same penalties as driving your car drunk.
The casual nature of Long's tweet, which featured the hashtags #Realpeople and #Realfriends shows how easily boating safety can take a back seat to fun. But it can have tragic consequences.
In Halifax, a 15-year old boy was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries after two Jet Skis collided in the harbour. Staff Sgt. Fox with Halifax Police confirmed the injured boy was the operator and sole rider of the personal watercraft.
The Canada Shipping Act lays out requirements for operators of boats in Canada, including horsepower restrictions for those under 16 years of age. Those regulations prohibit anyone under 16 from operating a personal watercraft. The act also requires operators to have proof of competence. In the case of a rental, a checklist can be completed by the rental company with the operator to ensure important safety and operation information is covered. That check list includes two checks that the operator meets age restrictions.
How the boy came to bypass those checks and end up as the operator of the jetski will no doubt be part of the investigation, but at some point, some one thought it was OK to ignore a rule.
It's unfortunate that for the most part legislation and regulation surrounding recreational boating has been made not in the interest of advancing safety, but in reaction to tragedy. Boaters who choose to justify the risk by asking ‘what's the worst that can happen' need to stop and actually ponder that question.
IN OTHER HARBOUR NEWS
PSA Halifax's new Super Post Panamax ship to shore gantry crane arrived June 29th aboard the Zhen Hua 29. The crane, manufactured by ZPMC, is the largest in Eastern Canada, capable of spanning 24 bays across. It will be one of six cranes at PSA Halifax, and is taller and can reach two more bays across than the two cranes added in 2013.
The crane purchase was announced in February 2019, prior to the sale of the terminal to PSA to coincide with the completion of the pier extension. The Zhen Hua 29 sailed from Shanghai April 24, via the Cape of Good Hope. It will take several weeks to complete the installation and certify the crane for use.
SBM filed a coasting trade application to use the Boa Barge 34 to store the Deep Paunke Production platform in Mulgrave until a reuse can be found. The general cargo ship Wilson Mistral delivered anchors and chains to pier 9, and they will be installed in
Mulgrave by the ship Horizon Arctic.
Maersk Chicago made a call at PSA Halifax on the MECL1 service this past weekend. This service does not normally call in Canada, so this may be a trial for some upcoming routing changes.
The federal government posted an RFP for the removal of the former naval ship Cormorant from Bridgewater. The RFP closes August 13, and is for the removal of pollutants, and towing and recycling of the ship. The estimated cost for this work is in the $2-million range.
The Federal Government also announced that they have purchased an interim replacement ferry to replace the Madeleine which operates between Souris, P.E.I. and Cap-aux-meules, Iles de la Madeleine. A new ferry is to be built by Davie, however it will not be in operation until 2026, therefore an interim vessel was needed. The Villa de Terror currently operates in Morroco, and was completed in June 2019. The ship is currently named for a town in the Canary Islands, but will take the name Madeleine II in Canadian service. The federal government plans to sell the vessel in 2026.