Holiday weekend prompts water safety reminders
RIO VISTA, Calif. - The high temperatures on the long holiday weekend in the Bay Area had people and families looking to get relief from the heat. But fast-moving water this year comes with warnings of the dangers along the rivers throughout the state.
On the Delta in Rio Vista in Solano County, the weather was perfect for grilling and chilling, with the wafting aroma of barbecued hamburgers and hot dogs in the air.
Families seeking relief from the heat sought out the shoreline of the Delta for cooling off in the river.
But there’s a warning this year; after all the rains of the winter, snowmelt rushing into waterways around the state.
"The water can be unforgiving," according to Sgt. Brady Graham of the Solano County Sheriff's Marine Patrol unit.
He says they do enforcement, but there's a need for more education to let people know of the dangers that come with rivers' tidal flow and the need for awareness.
"We want to make sure people aren’t struck by personal watercraft, so that’s a lot of what we enforce. Life jackets are the best tool out here to keep people safe," said Graham.
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He says the biggest risks are mixing boating with alcohol. Between the hot sun, dehydration and the currents, drugs and alcohol are not a good mix.
"Alcohol impairs judgment….and people underestimate the power of the water here," said Graham.
Kareem Abdul of Antioch says the water toys are the best part of hanging out on the river.
"Definitely boats, jet skis, we enjoy them on days like this."
Tami is a grandmother who brought her grandkids from Seattle to the shoreline at Sandy Beach in Rio Vista. She is diligent about water safety, saying, she keeps an eye on the kids by "keeping sunscreen on them and making sure one adult always has an eye on them."
"We saw some large logs going past, pretty fast…we showed that to the kids to make sure they understand the currents," Tami said.
Graham says the Solano County Marine Patrol has four watercraft in its fleet, including two jet skis and two boats. His officers also patrol the beaches, to warn families about water risks this time of year and encourage the use of life vests.
"We do enforcement, but we try to do more education. We want people to enjoy their time out here; we don’t want to discourage people from coming out. We want them to go back home in the same condition they came out here," said Graham.
Water safety is especially important this year. In California, the law requires anyone on a personal watercraft to wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket. Operating a boat or personal watercraft, like a jet ski, while under the influence of drugs or alcohol is a criminal offense.