There was an article in the local paper of a person lost in one of our areas and I would like to maybe help the readers of this article avoid a similar experience. Carrying a cell phone in a boat is a good thing but very limited to the rescue of anyone who don’t know where he or she is. A couple of things that I think are mandatory in any boat of any size are as follows. The price of anyone’s life is worth listening to what I have to say. Here is a list and approximant price of equipment I have all the time, in any boat I go in. Water proof plastic box $10.00, GPS under $150.00, Marine Radio $100.00 - $150.00, first aid kit $12.00, extra batteries $10.00, a flashlight for about $5.00. Now to explain: the waterproof box need no explanation as for the GPS (Global Position System) this unit can be bought in many stores and even some stores offer classes to learn how to run them. This equipment is so important and many small boats think they don’t need one as they can see shore most of the time. The waters from Anclote Island to Crystal River offers over one hundred and fifty miles of shore line and some of the backwaters look so much alike anyone can get lost or stuck. I believe if you can give someone your exact location, rescue would be so much easier. Imagine this call, person broke down “I am stuck” rescuer “ where” person stuck “in the gulf” OK lets do it again, person stuck “I am broke down at position 28 32.00 – 082 00.45 please send help” rescuer “OK”. This is a better means of letting people know where you are. Cell phones are good but sometimes out of the range of their antennas especially in the backwaters. Another bad thing about using cells is that they cannot be tracked. Here is a good reason to why we carry a marine radio for communications while on the water. The US Coast Guard monitors channel sixteen twenty-four hours a day as well as tow boat company’s. All the rescue companies also carry on their boat a piece of equipment called a radio direction finder. This piece of equipment will find you by the signal your radio puts out. I really hope this clarifies the value of spending money for your safety.
Grab a rod and head for the water the fish are biting.

Always Fishing & Guide Service
Capt Frank Bourgeois
4276 Weldon Ave.
Spring Hill, FL. 34609
Tel: (352) 666-6234
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