Boating safety for storm season

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Wrightsville Beach is a hot spot for boating, but that fun comes with responsibility and knowing boating safety. 

With Hurricane Erin out of the way, waters are returning to normal.   

But during storms, strong currents and large waves can make conditions dangerous. 

Two boats capsized in Masonboro Inlet this past Saturday… A reminder of how quickly things can go wrong. 

Petty Officer 1st Class Ronald Hodges with the U.S. Coast Guard says there are safety steps every boater should take, especially during storm season.   

“And something that we, you know, encourage people to do is to file a float plan. A float plan is a plan that you will formulate that lets someone know, or preferably a group of people know, where you’re leaving from, where you’re going, what time you’re going to be back.”   

Longtime boater Deanne Carroll says boating is supposed to be fun, but it’s also important to know the weather conditions and to have the right equipment.  

“Get you a GPS depth finder so you can tell how deep it is where you are. Make sure your equipment’s good and you got plenty of gas, don’t do newbie mistakes.”  

Carroll says sometimes the safest decision is staying out of the water, especially when there’s a storm offshore.  

“I would never, even boating 40 years, attempt to go out to that inlet where they were at. It was very rough and conditions that day…It’s better to stay inside if you can.”   

If you do find yourself in danger, knowing what to do is crucial. Flag down nearby boaters and use your radio.     

“VHF channel 16 is the radio channel that we use to monitor any potential distress, so that is the channel that you want to use to call for help.”  

The U-S Coast Guard auxiliary provides boating courses which satisfy all state boating education requirements. There is a session coming up next month held at Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation, Training Room, 795 Ocean Highway (Route 17), Supply, NC, from 8:00am to 4:00pm on Saturday, September 6, 2025. To register visit CGAuxSafeBoating@gmail.com