The following dissertation is not a means of talking down to you.
Not at all. The sports editor knows alcohol consumption and boating have had a long marriage, but it’s also important to glean over the facts.
Of course, with water restrictions and low levels at Amon G. Carter Lake and Lake Nocona, not as many locals are boating these days.
Still, I find it disheartening on the state level that Texas Parks and Wildlife Department game wardens made 58 boating under the influence arrests during the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
In all, wardens made contact with 30,000 boating enthusiasts.
Earlier this summer, from June 27-29, wardens stepped up patrol with the TPWD’s Operation Dry Water. This was a nationally coordinated boating under the influence awareness and enforcement campaign.
Boaters, you knew this was coming. Yet, some of you were arrested.
During the Operation Dry Water initiative, 22,732 recreational boaters were contacted. Wardens issued 1,147 citations and safety warnings. There were an additional 17 BUI arrests, including one for former Philadelphia Eagles and University of Houston quarterback Kevin Kolb.
In a shocking statistic, 39 minor in possession of alcohol and eight drug-related charges were brought about as well.
“TPWD participates in coordinated efforts like Operation Dry Water, along with hundreds of other agencies nationwide, in an effort to reduce the number of accidents and fatalities we see due to boaters consuming alcohol on the water,” TPWD Assistant Commander Cody Jones said in a press release. Read more of this column in the weekend edition of The Bowie News.