Watch above: Anyone who keeps their boat on Sylvan Lake was asked to make sure it was still secure Saturday, after Friday’s wild weather. Eric Szeto has the details.
EDMONTON – Anyone who keeps their boat on Sylvan Lake is being asked to make sure it’s still secure after Friday’s wild weather.
“Yesterday the whole lake was full of white caps, water splashing up on shore,” said Cpl. James Allemekinders with Sylvan Lake RCMP.
“It was a pretty intense day.”
At least 15 boats have washed up along the south shore of the lake. Several of those boats have taken on a lot of water, RCMP said.
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Some of the boats have been tied up or taken off the lake by RCMP, but several are still strewn about along Lakeshore Drive between 40 Street and Petro Beach.
Officers are attempting to contact boat owners, but say they’re having little success.
RCMP are concerned that if winds shift Saturday the unsecured boats will be washed back out onto the lake, becoming a hazard for other lake users and property owners.
“Once a boat breaks free and is floating without an operator, it can go anywhere, do anything, it can hit other boats. If it sinks it leaks fuel, leaks oil into the lakes, which obviously is an environmental concern,” said Allemekinders.