• Cristobal Update

  • Weekend Update. Absolutely beautiful weather for enjoying the river so make time to get out on it. I received an email from the NWS about the potential for heavy rainfall that could impact the Midwest region starting on Tuesday and lasting till Thursday from the remnants of tropical storm CRISTOBAL. It is to early to predict the exact track of the storm or the amount of rainfall that may occur from this storm. By Sunday night they will have a better idea where the heavy rain fall may occur. Storms like this have dumped several inches of rainfall in the past and residents should monitor future forecasts for updates. We have been doing great so far this spring dodging the bullet of storms in our basin. Lets hope this one makes a right turn as it heads towards the Midwest. The river has become very busy with the warm weather we are having. Please practice defensive boat driving as more people venture out on the water for the first time to relearn there boat handling skills. This is especially important with people that are on jet skies for the first time. They may not always look before making turns and we need to be ready to correct our direction to not cause an accident. I was by atwood Thursday night on land and saw a gentleman on a pontoon have engine trouble and a fire occurred with his engine. It was obvious he did not have a working fire extinguisher. He was forced to use a cup and it took some time to put the fire out using river water. It could have been much worse, thankfully him and his dog survived. Please take a minute to check your boat for the items the DNR looks for when they pull us over for a safety check. These include a fire extinguisher that is charged. This is either by the gauge on it saying good or if it does not have a gauge that when the white button is pressed down it springs back up. Also have a paddle, anchor with a long rope, life jackets and a cushion (throwable). You must have a working bildge pump or a bailing devise on board. Your battery must be strapped down and have the terminals covered or be in a battery box with a lid. Make sure your horn works or have a whistle. To be legal jet skiers must wear there kill switch. Boats also have the cord that is supposed to be worn by the driver when the boat is moving. Most of us in a boat dont do this but if pulled over by DNR they will check that we have the cord and are wearing it FYI. If you stop to tow a boat the most important thing is to use at least a 50 foot tow rope. If the rope is to short it is very difficult to control the boat being towed. Also tell the occupants of the boat being towed to not sit in the front of the boat as this will cause the boat to plow water. If they trim up the motor it will also stop their boat from working against the tow boat providing assistance. L.E.D. lights are cheap and I recommend having a couple on your dock to aid boaters at night from hitting your dock. Also have a flashlight and plastic cup on board. I cant tell people how often I see a boat out at night without a back light on. This is very dangerous and the flashlight with a cup taped to it is a great back-up till we get back home and fix the broken light issue. Lets all do our part to have a safe and fun summer on the beautiful ROCK RIVER.