With lakes and rivers scattered throughout the valley, the Flathead is a major draw for water recreationists seeking warm-weather fun. But officials say two recent boating deaths here have highlighted the need for carefulness on the water.
“I’d hope it would be a reminder to everyone to be cautious,” Matt Heaton, a warden for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, said of the accidents.
On the Fourth of July, Whitefish resident Travis Wickum, 27, was killed in a boating accident on Flathead Lake. Wickum and his family were in a 17-foot boat that was “T-boned” by a 19-foot boat traveling about 20 mph. Neither boat sank, but Wickum suffered severe trauma and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Just 10 days later, James R. Greene, a 22-year-old from Harrisburg, Pa., drowned in Swiftcurrent Lake in Glacier National Park. Greene was reportedly canoeing with a friend around 3 a.m. when the boat tipped over. Greene’s companion, 29-year-old Joseph “Clay” Nelson from Spring, Texas, was able to swim to shore and notify rangers. Greene’s body was found several hours later about 20 feet from the lake’s shore.
Both accidents are still under investigation.
The recent deaths are two of only three boating fatalities in the state this year, according to statistics from FWP. The third occurred on the Bitterroot River earlier this summer.
They also follow an uncommon year for water accidents in Northwest Montana, where six people drowned to death in late July and August of last year. Five of the accidents occurred either in the Flathead River or Flathead Lake; the sixth was in the Kootenai River near Troy.
The Flathead area also has a high propensity for non-fatal accidents: Last year’s statistics show that 10 of the 24 total non-fatal accidents occurred here.
In the Flathead, a handful of FWP wardens patrol the lakes doing water safety checks. “The biggest thing we come across is boats without life jackets,” Heaton said.
All boats are required to have a personal floatation device on board for every passenger. Children under the age of 12 and people taking part in water sports like skiing, wakeboarding or tubing must wear them at all times.
Like driving, it’s also illegal to operate a boat under the influence of alcohol. The state limit is .08. “I try to remind people, too, that on a hot, sunny day you’re going to be more affected by a lesser amount of alcohol,” Heaton said.
The state agency offers free boater education courses online at its Web site, http://fwp.mt.gov/education/outdoorrec/boated.html.
In Glacier Park, drowning is the number one cause of accidental death.
“More people think about the dangers of bears than they do water,” Wade Muelholf, a park information officer, said. “That’s one of the messages we try to get out to park visitors – to be very careful when recreating on or around water.”
Park visitors are encouraged to be wary of the park’s many cold glacial streams, rivers and lakes, where hypothermia or swift currents heighten the risks. Moss-covered rocks and slippery logs are also present dangers, Muelholf said.
“It’s not just recreating on water that’s dangerous,” he said. “When climbing or hiking on a trail near swift-running water, it’s easy to slip and fall.”
Boaters in the park are also required to have a personal floatation device for every person onboard, and children under the age of 13 must wear theirs at all times. People are encouraged to boat during the day where obstacles and weather changes are more apparent.
The following items are required by state or federal law when boating (Source: FWP):
* Wearable Life Jackets (children under age 12 must wear at all times)
* Throwable PFD
* Fire Extinguisher (motorboats)
* Backfire Flame Arrester (motorboats)
* Ventilation System (motorboats)
* Whistle or Horn
* Navigational Lights
* Registration Document
* Boat Number, Permanent Decal and Validation Decals