WaterBridge Ferries (WF) staff are reminding boaters to stay at least 100 metres away from their cable ferries following a number of close calls last weekend.
WF marine manger Marinus Goossen said three or four boats almost lost their outboard leg as they drove near the cable of the Arrow Park Ferry.
The cable connects both sides of Arrow Lakes approximately 22 kilometres south of Nakusp and is closer to the water surface as you drive closer to the ferry.
“Normal regulations are to stay at least 100 metres from any ferry and a cable’s reach for damage is substantially farther than a ferry like the M.V. Columbia on the Upper Arrow Lake ferry route,” said Goossen.
There is also a cable ferry operating on Arrow Lakes between Fauquier and Needles.
There are three things that can typically happen if a boat runs into a cable, said Goossen.
“The first thing that can happen is that the boat gets damages and the occupant gets injured. The second thing that happens is that the boat manages to get over the cable but the motors doesn’t, which could also injure the driver,” said Goossen.
“The last thing the can happen is that you cut across the line and you end up damaging the cable. If that happens, there’s significant downtime and costs now with the operation of the ferry.”
Boat traffic along the Arrow Lakes has been constant recently with tourists in the region, according to Goossen.
The Arrow Parks Ferry is one of three new ferries built by Nakusp-based WaterBridge Steel over the last few years.
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