The arrival of warmer weather inevitably brings with it the familiar hum of outboard motors as residents and visitors flock to local waterways to take advantage of the many boating opportunities that Gloucester and Mathews counties offer.

But the start of boating season also brings with it dangers, and to insure that everyone’s trip is both pleasurable and safe, members of local U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary flotillas are working hard to teach the public the boater’s rules of the road and check to see if they have the proper safety equipment.

This activity will be stepping up the week of May 18-24, which is being observed as National Safe Boating Week, as well as the busy Memorial Day weekend that follows, marking the unofficial start of the boating season.

The main theme the USCG emphasizes to boaters is making sure everyone on the vessel wears certified lifesaving devices. According to USCG boating statistics, out of 533 drowning deaths in 2011, in 415 of those death...