Summit Sheriff’s water deputies have been busy on Lake Dillon.
Last week three paddleboarders got pinned to an island by a fast-moving storm. They were wet, cold, stranded and grateful when deputies gave them a lift back to shore. The photo you see here is a file photo.
Later in the week a paddleboarder and kayaker were struggling in the wind. The kayaker’s inflatable craft was barely pumped up and neither one was wearing a FPD. A deputy gave them a ride back to their campground and warned them about the dangers of boating frigid Lake Dillon without a life jacket.
At Lake Pueblo State Park four people have drowned this year. Not one of them was wearing a life jacket. Colorado Parks and Wildlife is bringing new “life jacket loaner stations” to 40 state-operated reservoirs and other outdoor water sites statewide, Denver Post reports. The life jackets are free to borrow.
No kiteboarding
Now for a case of someone who wished deputies would have looked the other way. A kiteboarder was kitted up and ready to ride when authorities arrived, telling him kiteboarding is not allowed on the reservoir. He agreed to leave, but only after giving deputies a piece of his mind.
Kiteboarding, wakeboarding and other water sports where you spend time in the water are outlawed on Lake Dillon. In recent years, wading was allowed but only in places where you can touch the bottom of the lake. That means swimming next to a paddleboard or another boat is outlawed.