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- Reclamation Announces Open Recreation Season at Lake Berryessa; Urges Water Safety
News Release Archive
Reclamation Announces Open Recreation Season at Lake Berryessa; Urges Water Safety
Media Contact:
Pete Lucero, MP Region Public Affairs Office, 916-978-5100, 05/24/2012 16:38
For Release: May 24, 2012
NAPA, Calif. – At the Bureau of Reclamation’s Lake Berryessa, visitors will be enjoying the summer weather by swimming, boating, skiing, fishing, camping and hiking, commencing with the upcoming Memorial Day Weekend. All recreation areas operated by Reclamation will be open for the season, including Capell Cove Boat Launch, Oak Shores Day Use Area, Smittle Creek Day Use Area, Eticuera Day Use Area, and the Dufer Point Visitor Center. Concession areas at Markley Cove, Pleasure Cove, Lupine Shores, Foothill Pines and Chaparral Cove will also be open.
Water safety is a key to having a great weekend. The most important way to stay safe in the water is to wear a well-fitting Personal Floatation Device (PFD) – a life jacket. Inflatable toys, such as water wings or inner tubes, should never be used in place of a life jacket. At Lake Berryessa’s Oak Shores Day Use Area, Reclamation park rangers run a free PFD Loaner Program on weekends from Memorial Day to Labor Day, 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Visitors may borrow life jackets at the Water Education Station by leaving a form of identification such as a driver’s license. The station is a large white trailer located in the Foxtail Flat area of Oak Shores. The PFDs are available in all sizes, from infants to adults, and a park ranger will ensure that each life jacket fits correctly. Anyone who will be in or around the water, whether wading, swimming, or boating, is strongly encouraged to borrow and wear a life jacket.
Boaters should keep in mind the following:
- Boat ramps and day-use parking are expected to fill quickly at the Capell Cove Boat Launch, Oak Shores Day Use Area and Smittle Creek Day Use Area. Capell Cove Boat Launch is open from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. Oak Shores Day Use Area and Smittle Creek Day Use Area are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- All Coast Guard and state of California rules for navigation and boat operation apply. Any boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal. Napa County Sheriff’s boat patrols will be patrolling the lake to ensure boaters have a safe and enjoyable time.
- High lake levels may mask underwater hazards. Boaters should exercise caution, operate at a safe speed for conditions and watch for floating debris and concealed hazards.
- Markley Cove Resort and Pleasure Cove Marina are the lake’s only fueling locations. Please check a map for fueling locations: fill up and don’t be caught empty!
- Children under the age of 12 must wear a Coast Guard-approved PFD, and all individuals onboard must have a life jacket readily available.
- Follow these safety tips from the Department of Boating and Waterways: (1) file a Float Plan,notify a reliable person of your plan, and cancel the plan upon your return; (2) ensure your vessel is in good condition with oars/paddles and an ample fuel supply; and (3) have onboard a first-aid kit, flashlight, Coast Guard-approved fire extinguisher, PFD’s for all passengers, visual distress signals and an extra starting battery.
Other important safety tips include:
- Never swim alone
- Swimming is at one’s own risk at Lake Berryessa – no lifeguards are present
- Always supervise children while they are in or near the water
- Swimmers and waders should be aware of the potentially uneven lake bottom and sudden drop-offs
- The Center for Disease Control reports that alcohol use is involved in up to half of adolescent and adult deaths associated with water recreation and about one in five reported boating fatalities
