Photo courtesy of the PA Fish and Boat Commission/Bureau of Outreach, Education & Marketing

Kayaks are being sold at more locations and lower prices than in years past, with additional styles and options available as the sport grows in popularity.

At the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC), we are glad to see growing numbers of people on the water. However, we are concerned with the recent rash of tragic deaths related specifically to kayaking.

Pennsylvania has earned a good reputation nationwide through implementing and enforcing boating safety programs. Our annual accident and fatality total has historically been below the national average. Unfortunately, and tragically, that number has spiked this year, largely due to kayaking.

By the end of June in an average year, statistics show that we could expect to have four boating deaths. Alarmingly, as of mid-July, there have been 11 boating fatalities. Of that total, eight involved kayaks.

As chairman of the PFBC boating committee and as the director of the Bureau of Law Enforcement, we are very concerned. We are not sure what to attribute the spike to, but we have some ideas.

We believe individuals are kayaking without understanding the potential dangers – like cold water and the physical reaction to sudden cold-water immersion if you capsize, or the force of high, swift waters and low-head dams. We believe many people overestimate their swimming ability and underestimate the force of moving water.

We urge paddlers to be safe and prepare before they ever get on the water. Check water conditions through the U.S. Geological Survey’s river gauges, National Weather Service or local outfitters. Use water trail maps to mark entry and takeout access points and to identify hazards, like strainers, rapids and low-head dams. Always wear a properly fitting and properly secured life jacket. Use the buddy system and never paddle without a friend. File a float plan – make sure someone knows where you plan to launch and take out, along with your timetable. Avoid high, swift waters.

We encourage anyone going out on the water to obtain boating education training. We firmly believe an educated boater is a safe boater.

Visit the PFBC website to find information about classroom courses offered locally or online. Review the PA Boating Handbook and A Beginner’s Guide to Safer Paddling. Both are available online and at PFBC locations.

We would be remiss if we didn’t mention the role that drugs and alcohol have played. Boating, of any kind, and drinking or taking illegal substances do not mix, and there are serious consequences for boating under the influence.

Kayaking is a relatively easy and inexpensive sport to undertake, with plenty of opportunities for launching in the state’s abundant lakes, rivers and streams. The PFBC encourages everyone to enjoy these resources. Along with this encouragement, we underscore the need for paddlers to become educated on their sport.

The losses experienced this year are tragic. We hope that by discussing them we can educate others and prevent similar accidents in the future.

Safe boating is smart boating.

For more safe boating information, visit www.WearItPennsylvania.com.

G. Warren Elliott is a Boating-at-Large Commissioner for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission

Colonel Corey Britcher is Director of the Bureau of Law Enforcement for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission