SAN DIEGO (FOX5/KUSI) — As spring break crowds begin filling San Diego’s beaches and bays, harbor officers are increasing patrols on the water, warning that the busy season also brings a higher risk of accidents, unsafe boating and alcohol-related violations.
During a recent ride-along in Mission Bay and San Diego Bay, officers conducted multiple safety checks, stopping boaters to make sure they had required equipment on board, including life jackets and other safety gear.
Officer Joe Hilton said the danger on the water rises sharply as temperatures warm and traffic increases.
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“2020 was our worst year. We had 50 accidents in the year, 40 of which happened in the summer months,” Hilton said.
Police say spring break is an early sign of what is still to come, with hotspots like Fiesta Island and Mission Bay expected to get more crowded in the coming weeks.
On a typical busy summer day, Hilton said hundreds of boats can be out on the water at the same time.
“Generally, on a normal summer day, we probably have 200 to 300 boats out here at one time,” he said.
Along with checking for required safety equipment, officers said they are also watching for reckless operation, wrong-way travel and boating under the influence. California law prohibits operating a vessel with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher, and state boating officials warn alcohol significantly increases the risk of serious crashes on the water.
State boating officials also say boaters must carry a properly fitted life jacket for each person on board. Children under 13, personal watercraft riders and anyone being towed behind a boat are required to wear one.
For Hilton, the job is deeply personal.
In 2012, he and his pregnant wife were involved in a serious boating crash, an experience he said changed the way he looks at enforcement and safety on the water.
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“Hug your wife tonight because if he was going a little bit faster or you were going a little bit slower, he would’ve hit the back of your boat, and your wife, where she was sitting, most likely wouldn’t have made it,” Hilton recalled.
He said that close call continues to shape the work he does today.
“Because of the incident that happened to me and the incidents that I investigate, I never want people to go through that,” Hilton said. “I’m out here, the team is out here, and we are out here specifically for safety to make sure everyone goes home at night.”
Ryder Lorio was on a boat with his family. He and his family were stopped during one of the checks, and Lorio said he understood the extra enforcement.
“We’re out here, drove down to San Diego, just cruising around, wake surfing, having a good time,” Lorio said. “I have been out here before. It gets a little hectic. We just got a little boat check, making sure that we have life jackets and a flag up to keep us safe.”
As spring break continues and summer nears, harbor police are reminding people that the rules on the water are much like the rules on the road: operate safely, stay alert and never boat under the influence.
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