Safe Boat Riding

BY DOEPKER, LAKE STEWARD

HERE IS A QUOTE from the Michigan Handbook of Boating Laws and Responsibilities, page 37: “While operating at greater than ‘Slow No Wake Speed,’ persons on a motorboat may not sit, stand, or walk on any portion of a motorboat not designed for that purpose. This includes riding on the gunwale.”

• Sitting at the front of a pontoon with legs dangling in the water is not permitted and is extremely unsafe at any speed. Sitting on the back of a seat is also not permitted. People should be seated in seats while the boat is operating.

• Remember that except for West and Main Lakes, all other lakes within Canadian Lakes are “No Wake” slow speed only, at all times.

AFTER BEING DRIVEN OFF their first nest by flies, The East and Far West pair re-nested. East Lake hatched one baby loon. Lake of the Clouds hatched one baby this year, the first in many years. Far West Lake did not have any loon babies this year. Nine baby loons have been reported from other lakes in Mecosta County this summer.

OUR CANADIAN LAKES osprey nest on Buchanan Road appears to have hatched two baby ospreys, who likely have left the nest by the time you are reading this. We have 16 total osprey nests in Mecosta County, and most of them hatch chicks each year. Also reported are six or more bald eagle nests in our county.

Remove Purple Loosestrife (PL), an invasive species which crowds out native plants. We encourage everyone to remove it, wherever you observe it growing near the lakeshore. Remove the roots, if possible, but even just removing the above ground plant will prevent it from spreading if you cover the top with a garbage bag before removing to prevent any seeds from falling on the ground. Bags of PL can be safely disposed of along with any refuse going to a landfill.