Bobcat
05-29-2013, 06:17 AM
Anyone guess where this is going ?:dupe:
kwadlow@keynoter.com
Posted - Wednesday, May 29, 2013 06:00 AM EDT
memorial day
By KEVIN WADLOW
Boaters enjoy Sunday in Cowpens Cut, north of Plantation Key. Saturday and Sunday were great for being out on the water but Monday was a washout.
Fourteen people wound up in the water Sunday when a flats skiff overturned off the Upper Keys during one of the year's busiest holiday weekends for boating.
No one was injured in the capsizing around 5 p.m. in Atlantic Ocean waters near Tavernier Creek, said Ensign Peter Bermont, spokesman for U.S. Coast Guard Sector Key West.
Boaters near the scene and a response boat from Coast Guard Station Islamorada pulled the skiff's passengers -- including five children -- from the water.
"An 18-foot flats boat is not meant to hold 14 people," Bermont said Tuesday. "This was an instance caused by a disregard for situational awareness."
The boat began taking on water when a bilge pump failed, then overturned, he said.
Three good Samaritan vessels reached the scene and helped remove five adults from the water. The Coast Guard crew collected the other three adults and five children, all of whom were taken to shore at Harry Harris Park.
"When 14 people are in the water, it's a major concern," Bermont said. "The initial notification was that up to 20 people could be involved."
A salvor successfully refloated the flats boat, Bermont said.
The name of the boat operator was not available Tuesday but he reportedly lives in the Tavernier area. No criminal charges were filed and alcohol was not involved.
Windy weather with occasional gusts over 20 mph kept many boaters close to shore during the three-day weekend, said Officer Bobby Dube of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
A sunny Sunday brought a large fleet of vessels to the Sandbar anchoring spot off Islamorada's Whale Harbor Channel but no major problems occurred. "It was pretty busy but most of the tickets were safety violations like not having enough life jackets," Dube said.
A Miami man was arrested Sunday morning for reckless operation of a personal watercraft in the area.
Two personal watercraft reportedly collided Sunday near Ocean Reef in North Key Largo when they attempted to jump a boat wake at the same time. No serious injuries were reported.
kwadlow@keynoter.com
Posted - Wednesday, May 29, 2013 06:00 AM EDT
memorial day
By KEVIN WADLOW
Boaters enjoy Sunday in Cowpens Cut, north of Plantation Key. Saturday and Sunday were great for being out on the water but Monday was a washout.
Fourteen people wound up in the water Sunday when a flats skiff overturned off the Upper Keys during one of the year's busiest holiday weekends for boating.
No one was injured in the capsizing around 5 p.m. in Atlantic Ocean waters near Tavernier Creek, said Ensign Peter Bermont, spokesman for U.S. Coast Guard Sector Key West.
Boaters near the scene and a response boat from Coast Guard Station Islamorada pulled the skiff's passengers -- including five children -- from the water.
"An 18-foot flats boat is not meant to hold 14 people," Bermont said Tuesday. "This was an instance caused by a disregard for situational awareness."
The boat began taking on water when a bilge pump failed, then overturned, he said.
Three good Samaritan vessels reached the scene and helped remove five adults from the water. The Coast Guard crew collected the other three adults and five children, all of whom were taken to shore at Harry Harris Park.
"When 14 people are in the water, it's a major concern," Bermont said. "The initial notification was that up to 20 people could be involved."
A salvor successfully refloated the flats boat, Bermont said.
The name of the boat operator was not available Tuesday but he reportedly lives in the Tavernier area. No criminal charges were filed and alcohol was not involved.
Windy weather with occasional gusts over 20 mph kept many boaters close to shore during the three-day weekend, said Officer Bobby Dube of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
A sunny Sunday brought a large fleet of vessels to the Sandbar anchoring spot off Islamorada's Whale Harbor Channel but no major problems occurred. "It was pretty busy but most of the tickets were safety violations like not having enough life jackets," Dube said.
A Miami man was arrested Sunday morning for reckless operation of a personal watercraft in the area.
Two personal watercraft reportedly collided Sunday near Ocean Reef in North Key Largo when they attempted to jump a boat wake at the same time. No serious injuries were reported.