The guy at the end of the dock was the first one to get me concerned. One foot on the dock, one foot on the seat of the boat, leech locker in the right hand, a 12 pack of "tastes great, less filling" in the bottom of his landing net, extended as if it were a trophy catch, in the other. The baseball cap with two beer cans perched on each side of it, and the long, winding, gangly clear straw hanging from one of the cans traveled under his arm, over his shoulder, right to his mouth. High fashion on one of Minnesota's 10,000 lakes.

Danger and risk, like beauty, are in the eye of the beholder. One person could look at this and say, "Hey, give the guy a break. He's just having fun. He's worked hard all week and now he gets to play hard. Besides, he's wearing his lifejacket." Another could say, "Who is going to drive that boat? And if it's that guy, who will be in his path?" In any event, within these plans for fun there is a recipe for trouble. More than an ounce of prevention is needed.

According to DNR data cited in part elsewhere in this newsletter, 208 boating while intoxicated arrests took place in Minnesota in 1996, 76 in Hennepin County and 132 outside of the metro area. There were 12 fatal boating accidents and 127 nonfatal boating accidents (injury or property damage exceeding $500). While thousands of walleye were pulled out of our lakes with Rapala lures, and thousands of large mouth bass with Bassbuster Spinners, 60 Minnesotans were pulled out of the lake using a grappling hook. So the problem is real and stories abound.

There are stories of water-skiers, jet ski enthusiasts, swimmers, fisherpeople, pontoons and houseboat passengers and operators getting hurt or hurting others all too frequently on our lakes and rivers.

Remember a few years ago the speedboat with party crew on board that went over the river dam in St. Paul, while the TV news stations covered it with live remotes? News anchor Paul Magers observed the boat, perched precariously with stern on the top half of the four foot drop of the dam, and the bow on the lower half, and said to the reporter, "Say, didn't that boat just move a little bit?" Whereupon there she blew, and the dazed, confused passengers and operator were left to the skill of the successful rescuers. Neither the boat operator nor any of the passengers saw the dam!!! Hmmmmm.

Ive noticed that some earnest, hard-working, taxpaying, normally sensible citizens from the Twin Cities metro area head up to The Lake, and once there, get goofy. Relaxation and letting one's hair down is one thing. After all, this is America and we have a right to play. But when booze and boats combine, all too often normal people act like there are no norms or rules.

So, what's the solution?

Designated alcohol-free lakes? No drinking by boat operators? No drinking on boats at all?

The penalties seem stern enough and more readily enforced than ever before. I suggest that a coordinated effort to remind Minnesota watergoers of the perception of risksincluding the risk of getting caught is in order. At Memorial Day Weekend and Fourth of July holiday time we are reminded by a media blitz that DNR enforcement officers are out there with breathalyzers and ticket citation books. But what about the other times when the lakes and rivers are thawed and the risks are just as real? A public information initiative to follow-up the pretty good public reminder job our state does at the two summer holiday times may be in order.

So by all means, let's not lose our ability to play hard and have fun. But let's be crystal clear about the risks and communicating about them. Creative, repeated and persuasive reminders of risk are in order, and they are effective for those who are willing to be affected. We must keep communicating all the time because folks only listen occasionally, and a well placed message at the right time can change behavior.

Anyway, that's how I see it, from my end of the lake!

*Statistics provided by Kim Elverum, Boat and Water Safety, MN Department of Natural Resources.