PHILADELPHIA - In a year where overall recreational boating fatalities decreased from 710 in 2006 to 685 in 2007 the number of fatalities associated with the use of canoes/kayaks increased to 107 in 2007 as compared with 99 in 2006, according to statistics from the Coast Guard's Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety.

This figure represents about 15.6 percent of the total of all recreational fatalities in the U.S. in 2007. Of the 107 fatalities associated with kayaking and canoeing, 97 were from drowning (66 canoe, 31 kayak.) The complete 2007 Recreational Boating Statistics are available here.

Along the New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania shores, boating fatalities have claimed 12 lives in 2006 and another 15 in 2007.

In September 2007, Frank D'Alessandro was reported overdue from a kayaking trip in Little Egg Harbor near Little Egg Inlet, N.J. He was not wearing a life-jacket and had no cold-water survival gear on when his kayak overturned off the coast, which ultimately resulted in his death. This incident may have been avoided if the victim followed boating safety tips.

More recently on April 13, the Coast Guard along with a Good Samaritan from Miller Environmental Group rescued two kayakers who overturned in the Delaware River near the Walt Whitman Bridge. Both men showed signs of hypothermia.

A recent study by the Outdoor Industry Foundation has shown a dramatic increase in the number of Americans participating in kayaking, a 23 percent increase in 2005 alone. As the number of people turning to kayaking/canoeing (especially with rising fuel cost), so does the risk for kayak and canoe operators getting themselves into trouble.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary and the American Canoe Association (http://www.americancanoe.org ) offers some basic safety tips:

* Always wear a Coast Guard approved life jacket.
* Be comfortable in the water, out of your boat.
* Obtain the knowledge, skills and ability necessary for kayaking and canoeing.
* Always boat with a group. Three boats is a recommended minimum.
* Know how to self-rescue. Practice! Practice! Practice!
* File a float plan, with friends,,family, or the authorities.
* Bring appropriate safety, rescue, and navigational aids, and more than adequate food, water, and extra protective clothing. Do not wear cotton!
* Pick an activity level that matches your ability, and progress to more demanding challenges.
* Monitor your physical and emotional condition, and watch the other members or your group for fatigue, illness, and changes in behavior.
* Know and follow all local, state and federal laws.
* Be visible - wear bright colors so others can see you between waves or in the fog. Carry a bright light, flares, and whistle to signal your position.
* Take a boating safety class offered by the Coast Guard Auxiliary.