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A water bomber comes close to a boat on Back Bay June 19 while trying to scoop water to fight a fire at the landfill. - photo courtesy of Joyce Cole

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - While responding to a fire at the landfill last week, water bombers scooping water in Back Bay had some close calls with boats full of spectators, raising the question of who has the right of way.

Peter Arychuk, a pilot and former co-owner of Air Tindi, said generally, an non-motorized watercraft has the right of way over a motorized vehicle - boat or floatplane - because of the difference in manoeuvrability between the watercrafts. But in the case of an obvious emergency, like a fire, he said it's a little different.

"You have to be aware of your surroundings," he said. "When you see an ambulance coming down the road, you don't park cross-ways in the road. So why would you go out and pull out in the middle of Back Bay when there's water bombers fighting?"

Arychuk said boaters should know it's an emergency if water bombers are landing on Back Bay.

"They don't normally take off and land on Back Bay or East Bay - there's obviously an emergency around - so absolutely the water bombers, if they're working, they should get the right of way."

After the June 19 landfill fire, Mayor Gord Van Tighem scolded boaters for getting in the way of the Environment and Natural Resources water bombers in Back Bay, saying they should stay close to the shore.

"It is an emergency response and it should be given some respect to the seriousness of the situation those guys are working in," he told Yellowknifer.

Arychuk said he watched the boats on the water that day and questioned the thought processes of their operators.

"I know that common sense doesn't come easily anymore, but we should have some common sense on what is going on," he said. "It's alright to be a spectator, but the water bombers need their space, they should just give them some room to do their job and do give them the right of way."

Back Bay and East Bay are licensed aerodromes. Arychuk said during the summer months there are about 50 planes taking off and touching down in the two bays each day, so it's important that boaters are aware of their surroundings. Part of that is keeping an eye on the beacon on top of Pilot's Monument.

"If it's flashing that means that an airplane's coming in within the next three minutes," he said. "So be very, very aware of that light up on the Pilot's Monument."

According to Transport Canada, floatplanes coming in for a water landing must yield to any vessel that is already on the water. Once on the water, a floatplane is considered a boat and must comply with the regulations set out by the Canadian Shipping Act, which allows right of way to non-motorized watercrafts.

Arychuk said it's just a matter of sharing the water, being aware and being respectful.

Currently in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut boaters don't need a licence or a course to operate a boat. Despite that, it's the responsibility of the operator to know the rules of the water, said Arychuk, who is a boater and a pilot.

"Learn the rules and pay attention to what's going on," he advised.

"People have to respect other people that are using the water and that includes pilots and boaters and canoers and the fisherman. We have to share the water and we have to share the use of the area, so everybody's gotta respect each other and be aware."

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