Marine Safety

Boating Safety

Safety on the water is of paramount importance to the Greater Bobs and Crow lakes Association. Our Marine Safety program provides the essentials to help keep boaters and water enthusiasts safe while having fun on the lake.

Wear a PFD or Life Jacket

Life Jacket
Life Jacket
Personal Flotation Device (PFD)
Personal Flotation Device (PFD)
  • A Life Jacket is designed to turn an unconscious person from face down to face up in the water, allowing them to breathe. Lifejackets have more buoyancy mainly at the front.
  • A PFD is more comfortable to wear and are designed to keep a person afloat but not to turn an unconscious person face up in the water.
  • 80% of people who die in boating accidents are not wearing a Personal Floatation Device(PFD) or Life Jacket.
  • Don’t assume you will be able to swim safely to shore in the event of an accident.
  • Make sure your PFD or Life Jacket fits you properly. Many fit too large

For more technical information, visit the Transport Canada web site:

Choosing PFD: Transport Canada

Don’t Drink and Boat

Drinking and boating is a serious offense
Drinking and boating is a serious offense

Drinking alcohol while operating a boat is just as dangerous as drinking and driving a motor vehicle. For this reason the very same laws apply. This restriction also applies to having open alcohol in the boat.

The vast majority of fatalities and serious injuries on the lake involve excessive consumption of alcohol. If you are caught operating a boat while impaired, you will likely lose your right to drive your car and other motor vehicles.

Know Your Boat

Basic equipment: buoyant heaving line, whistle, flashlight, bailing bucket.
Basic equipment: buoyant heaving line, whistle, flashlight, bailing bucket.
  • Familiarize yourself with the boat you are operating and be prepared.
  • Make sure you have all the required safety equipment on board, motorized vessel or not. The minimum requirement is a sound signalling device, flashlight, floating heaving line and a bailing bucket.

Be wary of the Weather

Lightning on the lake is dangerous
Lightning on the lake is dangerous
  • Check the weather before heading out on the water.
  • Know how to interpret weather changes while on the water as sudden changes can occur without warning.
  • Trust the radar- given the length of Bobs Lake, the weather on the water could be different at the south vs the north end.
  • Share your boating plans with someone on shore

Bring a Map and Phone

  • Unless you are very familiar with Bobs and Crow lake, bring the GBCLA Boating card or other map. The numerous bays and inlets here can quickly confuse any boater.
  • Bring a cell phone or other communication device in a water proof bag for emergencies. Cell coverage around the lakes is fairly complete.

Watch out for Marker Buoys

GBCLA uses professional marine buoys
GBCLA uses professional marine buoys
  • 60 Yellow buoys are placed throughout Bobs and Crow lake by the Association to mark the location of dangerous rocks or shoals
  • water levels in Bobs and Crow Lakes drop by almost 5 ft between mid-June and mid-October.
  • Buoys are placed in late Spring and removed Thanksgiving weekend
  • Please retrieve any “wandering” buoys and advise the Association where we can pick up. Wakes and dropping water levels can lead to detachment.
  • The GBCLA does not warranty or ensure the accuracy of each buoy location. Reasonable care and judgement should be used in navigating rock shoals and other marine hazards. Navigation on the lakes should not rely solely on these buoys.

Lake Signage

  • Transport Canada, the agency responsible for Canada’s waterways, has approved four lake locations where posted speed restrictions apply. Speeds here must be reduced to 10kph.
  • The GBCLA also posts “Slow Down – No Wake- Dead Slow” signage throughout the lakes to guide boaters on minimizing the erosive effects on lake shorelines from speeding boats.
Slow No Wake Zone sign
Shoreline erosion

Emergency Access Locations

A key role the GBCLA plays is to work with the OPP and the Fire Chiefs from Central Frontenac, South Frontenac and Tay Valley, to maintain and communicate an accurate list of all Emergency Access locations on Crow and Bobs Lakes- their respective fire plans reflect the location of these emergency locations. Without an accurate list, precious minutes could be lost in getting a rescue boat into the lake quickly.

The approved boat ramp locations are:

  • Crow Lake Public Beach
  • Mica Point
  • Cedar Haven
  • Pine Shores
  • Steeles Road
  • Oak Shores Crescent
  • Sunset Country Camp Grounds
  • Nordlaw Lodge (no public use)
One of the emergency boat ramps

Please clear the way ASAP if emergency vehicles ever arrive to a ramp around our (or any!) lakes.