One of the best parts about a New England Winter is that Spring is right around the corner. To help soothe my cabin fever, I visited my favorite fishing site and magazine, On The Water, to see what’s biting. “Captain Frank, of The Frances Fleet in Narragansett, is looking forward to the calm “after” the storm, as the last week or so has been tough for everyone around the New England coast. The strong NE blow and the storm systems look to be clearing out for the weekend, and there is a good chance that the fleet will have a few good sailing days. The temperatures on the cod grounds are still above normal, and Frank hopes that will help spark the spring bite when the weather clears,” reports otw.com
Earlier this week there was an article in the local paper “Emergency responders remind dinghy owners to secure their craft.” When Nor’easter Riley came ripping through New England, it packed a one-two punch of a nasty storm surge coinciding with a full moon high tide. When I was a kid, walking down to the beach, you could always tell there was a moon tide the night before from the seaweed line several feet above the normal high. It wasn’t unusual for dinghies to be jostled out of place, lying flat in the sand, as opposed to leaning against the stone wall. That’s a typical result from a moon tide.
But, when a moon tide is combined with a nor’easter, dinghies can easily be swept out into the harbor or further out to sea. This becomes an issue because if they’re swept out while upside down, and seen from a bystander later from shore, it’s always possible someone could have been in it and is now “missing”. Here’s what was in the Newport Daily News this week:
To be clear, Coast Guard Petty Officer Zachary Pfeffer wants people to notify authorities if they spot an overturned boat in the waters off Aquidneck Island.
But too often, Pfeffer and other area emergency responders have to chase after and investigate dinghies and kayaks that weren’t secured properly, costing precious resources and time.
Being on the water, fishing or sailing, like any activity, such as shooting, skiing, or investing, requires preparation and taking responsibility for one’s self. One of the reasons it’s important to do your own prep is to make sure valuable resources are available if and when there is a real emergency. Not doing your part wastes valuable resources.
