OPP issue safety reminder for Pottahawk

Norfolk County OPP will be out in full force on Sunday keeping close watch on partygoers during Pottahawk while on Lake Erie.

The annual gathering of boaters at Pottahawk Point attracts thousands of boats and an estimated 10,000 people.

According to OPP, emergency services respond to numerous injuries and impaired boaters every year while at Pottahawk Point, Lake Erie.

Police are urging all boating enthusiasts to refrain from picking up strangers looking for a ride to Pottahawk after instances in the past where people have been stranded after hitching rides to the event, with no plan for a return trip home.

“We are encouraging everyone, if you are attending Pottahawk this weekend, to put on your personal floatation device or life jacket, because it’s too late once you fall into the water and this piece of safety equipment will save your life,” said Ed Sanchuk, spokesman for Norfolk OPP.

Police will also be conducting random boat checks throughout the day for sobriety and to ensure that all safety equipment is onboard, as well as patrolling local highways, secondary, and county roads in the area.