Today’s Northumberland took a ride with Northumberland OPP Marine Unit on a patrol of Lake Ontario near Brighton on Saturday, June 22, 2019.
Because of the high water levels, the Northumberland OPP Marine Unit piloted by Constable Jeff LaPorte and Auxiliary Staff Sgt. Ken Hammill launched from the Wicklow Beach Boat Launch and headed east along Lake Ontario to Brighton and the Murray Canal.
Immediately after leaving the boat launch it was evident the erosion caused by the high water along Lake Ontario.
All along the lake, land had eroded, numerous trees were in the water as a result of rising water.
Around Brighton, numerous homes still have sandbags around them protecting them from the record level waters of Lake Ontario.
“Our purpose today was to make sure people are aware of the situation and to make sure boats don’t create a large wake near the shoreline,” said LaPorte.
With the erosion of the shoreline there is a lot of debris floating in the water and LaPorte cautions area boaters of the danger.
“The other night I was finding boards, pieces of dock, branches and logs. It was a debris field.”
LaPorte advises to keep a watchful eye along the lake where travelling.
“Especially at night time.”
“Be extra careful. Because you can’t see these things and even if you do, it may be to late and they can do quite a bit of damage to the hull and can cause a unwanted emergency fairly quickly when you’re not prepared for it.”
LaPorte and Hammill also checked a boater that was fishing near the Murray Canal to see if it had the proper safety gear.
After a quick check, it was clear the boaters were well prepared for an emergency.
LaPorte said the most common occurrence when checking boaters is the standard safety equipment.
“It’s surprising how people will go from weekend to weekend – and people remove things.”
They could clean the boat out or let another person borrow a life jacket and forget that it’s not there when they go on a trip on the water.
When they are stopped they soon realize they are not prepared for an emergency.
“Anytime you go out, just do a quick cursory check to make sure you have your life jackets, make sure you have a bailing bucket and all the proper equipment. It’s surprising how many people get surprised by us when we ask.”
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
