Good afternoon LSC.

Our Game Warden Justin Turner sent us this update about his work at the lake this past week, June 17th - 24th to pass along to the lake community. He will be providing updates throughout the season, and this is his second update.

We thank Justin for his work, and providing these updates to the lake community!

Justin's Report:

"Last week Vermont Game Wardens conducted boating patrols throughout the week, to include more safety inspections, fishing compliance checks and general patrol for boating safety. Wardens addressed personal floatation device (pfd) violations, wake violations, and failure to have an observer while water skiing.

Wardens have noticed while doing safety inspections that life jackets and fire extinguishers are not always easily accessible or found in a known location. For example, safety equipment found in a compartment under an anchor line or other miscellaneous items. It may be worth checking your safety equipment to ensure you know where it is and that it is easily and quickly accessible.

As a reminder, its is a violation to operate a boat within 200 feet of the shoreline; an individual in the water; a canoe, rowboat, or other vessel; an anchored or moored vessel containing any individual; or anchorages or docks, except at a speed of less than five miles per hour that does not create a wake.

In addition, and worth noting, an individual shall not operate a vessel, except at speeds of less than five miles per hour, within 200 feet of a designated swimming area. This applies to the designated swimming area buoys found off the beach at the State Park.

Here is a link to distance requirement statute: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/23/029/03311

As mentioned before, Wardens will be conducting safety inspections throughout the summer. A safety inspection is an equipment check including but not limited to the following items when applicable, working lights, pfd’s, fire extinguisher(s), registration numbers, current validation sticker, muffling device, a working bilge blower, and a boating safety card. If you see Wardens out and about, please feel free to flag us down on the water or from your dock and we are happy to complete an inspection for you or answer any questions/concerns you may have.”

Thank you to Justin for working to keep us all safe on the lake, and for providing these updates.

You can read more about boating rules, and how to contact Justin on our Lake Safety page here: https://lakestcatherine.org/lake-safety

Finally, Justin will be one our guest speakers at the LSCA's Annual Meeting & Dinner on July 22nd at 6 PM at the LSC Country Club. You can click here to RSVP, and reserve a dinner: https://lakestcatherine.org/event-5329309 - please join us!