Submitted by the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office.

The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office will be participating in Operation Dry Water, a national awareness and enforcement campaign focused on reducing the number of alcohol and drug-related incidents and fatalities and fostering a stronger, more visible deterrent to alcohol and drug use on the water, through the July 2 – 4th weekend.

Operation Dry Water is coordinated by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA), in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard as well as local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.

These patrols will focus on all bodies of water throughout the county to include the northern Puget Sound waters, which will also be patrolled by federal and state partners, as well as local bodies of water to include public lakes.

We ask that persons participating in water activities be safe during this busy weekend. If you would like to partake in boating activities, be sure to have a designated sober operator for your vessel. By Washington State Law, a vessel includes any manpowered, sail, or motor vessel used to transverse through the water. This includes paddle boards, kayaks, rowboats, and canoes.

Additionally, we ask that you wear your personal floatation device when participating in water sports. Statistics show that 86 percent of fatalities on the water include persons not wearing a PFD at the time of their death.