In boating vernacular, “setting a course” means to plot one’s journey before raising the sails in hopes of arriving at one’s destination safely. As the chairman of the Board for Islands Management Co., the entity responsible for the operations of Lake Lanier Islands Resort, I feel it is high time we — as a cohesive community — proactively set our course for a safer Lake Sidney Lanier together.
This summer’s tragedy on the lake that resulted in the senseless loss of the lives of two young boys should sound a warning signal to all lakeside homeowners, businesses, visitors and especially boaters on this beautiful lake we all share.
For the past seven years, Lake Lanier Islands Resort has promoted Lake Lanier as a safe place for families to play and make happy memories together.
To that end, we have always been fully committed to supporting the sheriffs and police for Hall, Gwinnett and Forsyth counties, in addition to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Rangers, in any way possible to educate boaters and improve boating safety on Lake Lanier. We partner with the Hall County Sheriff’s Department to provide a visible presence on the islands, clearly communicating that we support their laws and wish to facilitate a civil, relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere.
We also promote boating safety through our own marina at “Harbor Landing” and have long advocated the additional use of navigation buoys and channel markers around our shores, particularly in the vicinity of our busy new “Sunset Cove” beachside venue.
Our servers and bar staff are trained to enforce the alcohol laws of Georgia, requiring identification for age, in addition to refusing service to intoxicated persons.
We are adding approximately 160 new boat parking slips and explicit channel markers in the “Cove” to improve boating safety while near our shores, and will encourage overnight boat parking at our community docks for guests who may feel unable to safely drive their boats to their own dock or marina.
While Lake Lanier Islands Resort cannot solve the ongoing issue of boating safety on all 38,000 surface acres of the lake by itself, we can lead the charge for change by promoting a partnership with all members of the Lake Lanier community.
In the coming weeks, Lake Lanier Islands Resort along with the board at the Lake Lanier Islands Development Authority will develop further initiatives designed to increase boating safety on our lake. Some of these proposed solutions include developing a boater-safety promotional campaign, pursuing the employment of navigation buoys and channel markers, extending the courtesy dock program already in place, initiating a “designated boat driver” program, and partnering with the “U.S. Power Squadron” or other similar organizations to develop a boating safety education program.
Each of these endeavors could go a long way to preventing future boating accidents and tragedies similar to the one the entire Lake Lanier community mourns this season.
Virgil Williams is chairman of the board of Islands Management Co.
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