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How to safely paddle Georgia's waterways
It's National Safe Boating Week and Paul Milliken gets advice on how to safely paddle on Georgia's waterways.
ROSWELL, Ga. - We’re right in the middle of National Safe Boating Week, and the National Safe Boating Council has a simple message: life jackets save lives.
According to the National Safe Boating Council website (using data from the U.S. Coast Guard’s 2024 Recreational Boating Statistics), 76% of boating deaths are due to drowning — and 87% of victims aren’t wearing a life jacket. That’s why advocates say boaters shouldn’t just have life jackets on board, but should be wearing them at all times.
Here in Georgia, National Safe Boating Week kicked off on Saturday, May 16th, with a series of low-cost "Kayaking 101" classes at several locations. The initiative was led by the Georgia chapter of the American Canoe Association and several partner agencies, with the goal of teaching people the basics of safe kayaking.
Last year, we spent a morning on the water with ACA southeastern chair and Cross Currents Leadership founder Andrea White — and we learned so much, we decided to do it again! So, this morning, we joined Andrea at the Nantahala Outdoor Center’s Roswell Post on the Chattahoochee, where we got a refresher on our kayak safety and learned more about opportunities for people to safely enjoy Georgia waterways.
Click the video player to check it out — and click here for more information on National Safe Boating Week.
The Source: Information for this story comes from the National Safe Boating Council website and original reporting by Good Day Atlanta's Paul Milliken.