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4A I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I dawsonnews.com
Wednesday, June 22,2022
Local divers offer tips to stay safe on Lanier
ByAshlyn Yule
DCN Regional Staff
It is no secret that Lake Lanier
has seen its fair share of boating
accidents, drownings and injuries.
But can people really chalk it up
to the rumored spirits floating
beneath the waves, or is there
something else boaters and swim
mers are missing?
According to the Georgia
Department of Natural
Resources, in 2021, Lake Lanier
saw four drownings, 24 boating
accidents, 74 BUIs and five fatali
ties.
As boating season begins this
summer, Forsyth County News
interviewed officials that know
Lake Lanier’s dangers and have
the best tips to keep you informed
this year. After all, a knowledge
able boater is a safe boater.
Tan lines to be proud of
Sgt. Chris Tempel, dive team
commander for the Hall County
Sheriff’s Office, has been diving
on Lake Lanier since 2000,
responding to boating accidents
and drownings.
After 22 years in the business,
he said the No. 1 rule that’s bro
ken is people not wearing a life
jacket or other personal floatation
device.
Tempel said that people need to
be wearing a life jacket while a
boat is moving. If a boat has
stopped, he said lifejackets aren’t
required but are still recommend
ed for children, people with med
ical conditions and poor swim
mers.
“I know they might give you
funny tan lines, but it’s always
better to be around to laugh about
them than [not],” Tempel said.
According to the Georgia
DNR, each person riding on a
personal watercraft, like a Jet Ski
or Sea-Doo, must always wear a
U.S. Coast Guard-approved per
sonal floatation device.
While not always the most styl
ish, he said life jackets and other
personal floatation devices can
literally save lives, and he encour
ages people to use personal flota
tion devices.
Who has the
right-of-way?
Lake Lanier doesn’t have lanes
or yellow lines to help navigate
the channels, but that doesn’t
mean there aren’t ‘rules of the
road.’
Richard Pickering has been
“safely boating” for more than 40
years, driving everything from Jet
Skis to 120-foot houseboats and
hasn’t had one accident. He also
oversees the safety briefings for
the Poker Run each year, an
annual boating event on Lake
Lanier.
“Boating on Lake Lanier can
be quite treacherous when people
don’t know the rules of the road,”
Pickering said.
Like a highway, he said boaters
want to stay “generally on the
right” as they’re crossing the lake.
If you’re looking to pass anoth
er boat or vessel in front of you,
stay to the left and keep a dis
tance of at least 100 feet, as is
law.
If a boat or vessel is crossing in
front of you, Pickering said the
vessel to the right always has the
right-of-way.
“It’s your responsibility to slow
down and allow them to pass in
front of you while still maintain
ing a safe distance of 100 feet or
more,” Pickering said.
He said this rule is often over
looked by novice boaters and
those on Jet Skis and can land
people in serious trouble with
the maritime law. His sugges
tion is to take a free boater safe
ty class online, which are pro
vided by the U.S. Coast Guard
and DNR.
Another rule to remember is
that sailboats under sail always
have the right-of-way, as they
are at the mercy of the wind and
waves. If a sailboat is under
power, they must adhere to the
same rules as boaters and those
operating personal watercraft.
Pay attention and
understand the markers
Lake Lanier is riddled with
poles, buoys and flags, but not
because it looks cool. The mark
ers are there to keep people on
the lake safe, and it’s important to
know what they mean.
According to the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, underwater
hazards are typically marked with
a diamond symbol, like sub
merged boulders, trees and sand
bars.
Pickering said it’s important to
avoid driving a boat between a
marker and the shoreline, as the
markers typically indicate shal
low water; always navigate
around the marker on the side
furthest from the shore.
“Always give the marker good
distance, too,” Pickering said.
Hazard, ‘no wake’ and ‘keep
out’ signs are typically white,
with navigation markers on the
lake in green. More information
about the specific meanings of
signs can be found on the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers’ web
site at www.usace.army.mil.
Pickering also encouraged
boaters to “get off the lake” by
sundown, as many markers are
not lit and can present more dan
gers in the dark with people run
ning into them and the obstruc
tions underneath.
Understand
the topography
While Pickering encourages
all boaters and those on Jet Skis
to drive vessels with their heads
“on a swivel” to look out for
markings, he said not all hazards
have been marked on Lake
Lanier.
Studying topography and
looking at the shoreline can help
boaters gauge how deep the
water is, according to Pickering.
“One of the biggest challeng
ers for boaters on Lake Lanier is
not knowing what’s underneath
the water,” Pickering said. “If
you look at the topography of
the land and study it, you’ll
begin to see a pattern emerge.”
Pickering explained that if you
see a string of islands in the lake
close together, there’s a “very
good chance” that the islands are
connected under the waves by
low-lying areas, boulders or
other obstacles “sticking up and
could cause an accident with
your boat.”
He said typically, if the shore
line is steep, “then chances are
very good that the steep slope
will continue down underneath
the water and provide you with
safe passage through deep
water.”
If a shoreline’s slope is gentle,
has a beach or you see “brown in
the area,” you should give the
shoreline a wide berth as that
can be indicative of sandbars and
“very shallow waters.”
Stay sober and alert
Through Tempel’s 22 years of
experience on the lake, he hasn’t
seen the ‘Lady of the Lake,’ an
apparition some say they have
seen, or any other spirits that are
rumored to suck people under
the water.
“I’m still diving, aren’t I?”
Tempel said. “The first time I
meet the ‘Lady of the Lake,’ I
believe I’ll be ending my diving
career.”
He said another large factor on
the lake is a different kind of
spirit: Alcohol.
According to the Georgia
DNR, Lake Lanier has seen at
least 30 BUIs a year in the last
five years, with 84 in 2020 and
74 in 2021.
“People come to the lake for
recreation and unfortunately,
[alcohol and drugs] don’t mix
with water,” Tempel said.
He said driving a boat or Jet
Ski while under the influence is
the same as driving a car and it’s
imperative to drink responsibly.
“The best way to stay safe on
[Lake Lanier] is to really exer
cise good common sense and
judgement and stay sober.”
According to the U.S. Coast
Guard, a “boat operator is likely
to become impaired more quick
ly than a driver, drink for drink”
due to the engine vibration, lake
motion and sun.
Tips for avoiding a BUI this
summer include bringing plenty
of snacks and food on a day out,
drinking a lot of water, wearing
clothes that will keep you cool
and considering hosting larger
parties onshore instead of on a
boat.
Other resources
Whatever your style of enjoy
ing the lake, it is important that
you keep your boat and others’
afloat this summer so that you
can make return trips to see all
that Lake Lanier offers. And
show off those odd tan lines.
To find out more about other
life-saving tips, visit the website
for the U.S. Coast Guard at
www.uscg.mil, the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers at www.
usace.army.mil or Georgia DNR
at gadnr.org.
This article was originally
published in the Forsyth County
News, a sister publication of the
DCN.
Family grateful for kindness amidst teen’s cancer battle
Photo submitted to DCN
DCHS student Mason Palmour is battling
Glioblastoma, a rare type of brain cancer.
'If it wasn't for everybody coming
together, it wouldn't have been possible.
It's been a blessing and a long journey
to get there, and there's a long journey
to go, but we're grateful to get here, and
everything's looking good so far.'
By Julia Fechter
jfechter@dawsonnews.com
As Dawson County teen
ager Mason Palmour con
tinues his fight against
brain cancer, father Robert
said he “can’t stress
enough” his family’s grati
tude for the support they’ve
received over the past sev
eral months.
“Mason feels the same
way. He wants to say
‘thank you,’ and we’ll keep
people updated,” Robert
said.
There will be a concert
fundraiser for Mason at
Buford’s Tannery Row Ale
House starting at 7 p.m.
this Lriday, June 24, featur
ing southern country artist
Jacob Bryant. People can
purchase tickets through
www.eventbrite.com.
Mason was diagnosed
with stage four
Glioblastoma, a rare type of
brain cancer, this past fall.
Recently, Mason’s par
ents found the Burzynski
Clinic, a Houston, Texas-
based clinic that’s had
more success with curing
Glioblastoma than the
facility they originally con
sidered in California.
In a recent Lacebook
post, Mason’s mother,
Alison, explained that the
Texas clinic was where
“God has led us,” mention
ing its 22 success stories of
patients that, 30 years later,
are tumor and cancer free.
She added that the clin
ic’s financial plans are
“much more accomodat
ing,” allowing patients and
their families to pay
monthly for treatment, as
opposed to all up front.
The new treatment will
cost about $150,000 for
Mason in total, expected to
be spread out over eight
months. The first month
will cost an estimated
$27,000, followed by
$17,000 for each of the
remaining seven months.
Mason’s loved ones will
still have to cover travel,
lodging and related expens
es.
Various fundraisers have
been held this spring to
raise money for the teen’s
medical costs, and he has a
#MasonStrong GoLundMe.
Mason Palmour also has
a bank account with Bank
OZK in Dawsonville for
people wanting to make a
deposit there on behalf of
him.
Mason and his family
flew out to Texas the week
end before last and began
his antineoplaston therapy
treatments last Monday,
June 13. They expect to be
in Texas for up to three
weeks, though they hope
they can be back in time for
the June 24 fundraiser.
This type of cancer ther
apy is intended to target
bad cells and not good
cells, Alison said.
During their stay,
Mason’s parents have been
learning how to give their
son his treatments.
Each day, Mason is
given one bag of medica
tion, which is administered
with the help of a pump
through his port. Every
four hours, the medicine is
administered every 24 min
utes. This week, Mason
will start having two
pumps hooked up to him.
When Mason returns to
Georgia, his treatments will
be done at home, with his
medication being mailed to
him. He will still be under
the clinic’s care as well as
that of his regular oncolo
gist in Atlanta. Monthly
visits to Texas will transi
tion into being bimonthly
visits.
Alison explained that
Mason decided not to con-
tinue chemotherapy
because of the side effects
and that she and Robert
were both supportive of his
decision.
The chemotherapy was,
however, the necessary
standard of care until they
could raise the money for a
more natural treatment.
“Usually [for] anyone
with Glioblastoma, chemo
kills them before the
Glioblastoma does,” Alison
said. “He (Mason) has had
very minimal side effects
with these treatments.
Right now, the most he’ll
get is drowsy...so he’s
actually doing very well
with it.”
Her son’s spirits have
gotten better since treat
ment began, with his appe
tite improving and his usual
sense of humor returning.
Through her previous job
at a Cumming health clinic,
Alison had befriended a
patient who’d had breast
cancer and subsequently
devoted her life to cancer
research. That patient told
her about the Burzynski
clinic.
Then, about a month
ago, another woman she’d
met at her former position
told her about the clinic.
“I felt like this was God’s
way of telling me ‘this is
your answer,” Alison said.
Alison knew at that time
that in about a month, they
could have the month
raised for Mason to start
this new treatment.
She contacted the Texas
clinic around June 1, and
personnel from there
immediately reached back
out to her the same day. In
fact, the doctor had already
looked over her son’s
Robert Palmour
Masons father
chart. Mason and his
family had a virtual consul
tation with the doctor five
days later, at which time
they confirmed a treatment
plan. So they subsequently
booked and flew out on
flights to Texas, “literally
within days” of everything
coming together, Alison
added.
She and Robert both
expressed their gratitude
for the clinic’s doctors, Dr.
Burzynski and Dr.
Miranda, as well as the
entire staff for their efforts
and care.
She’s thankful that
Mason could get started on
this new treatment quickly
instead of having to pro
long getting him a more
natural one, and she’s opti
mistic that they’ll be able to
raise the remaining funds
needed to finish the treat
ment and save her son.
Robert voiced a similar
optimism, pointing to “suc
cess after success after suc
cess” they’ve heard from
talking to some of the clin
ic’s other patients.
“Mason’s doing much,
much better with this [treat
ment], so we’re all very
happy with the outcome,”
he said. “If it wasn’t for
everybody coming togeth
er, it wouldn’t have been
possible. It’s been a bless
ing and a long journey to
get there, and there’s a long
journey to go, but we’re
grateful to get here, and
everything’s looking good
so far.”
Donation Shower
So sweet, so cuddly, so cute and fun. It is the season, the time has
come! Lots to do and things we need to take care of the kittens, all
sorts of breeds.
Donation Shower Registry
(New or open)
Dry Kitten Food
Wet Kitten Food
Kitten Milk Replacer
(liquid)
Dawson County Humane Society
a no kill shelter
706-265-9160
Thank you for all of your kind donations! These
items will be used to care for all the mothers and
kittens that arrive at our shelter. View our wish list
at: www.dawsoncountyhumanesociety.org
Looking for kitten fosters, please call us for details.
Hours:
Monday: Closed
Tues-Fri: 11am - 4:30pm
Sat: 12pm - 4:30pm
Sun: 1pm - 4:30pm
You may drop your gifts off at:
For more '"formation contact the 706-265-9160 | 633 Martin Rd, Dawsonville
Dawson County Humane Society Adjacent to the Rock Creek Sports Complex
Visit our RESALE SHOP & BOUTIQUE
Wed. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. | 54 S. Lumpkin Campground Rd.
Dawsonville
Veterinary
Hospital
706-265-8381
ANH Collision
Specialists
706-216-0992
103 Industrial Park Road,
Dawsonville
All proceeds benefits
the Humane Society
Bradley M. Maple
CPA, PC
706-216-2362
2390 Thompson Rd • Ste 100
Dawsonville
