The North Bay Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police's Marine Unit was out in full force this holiday weekend, to the dismay of some boaters and to the relief of others.

The marine unit launched onto a variety of lakes in the area – with visibility, enforcement and safety in mind.

Relieved were three occupants in a broken down vessel on Lake Nipissing. The marine unit was called out Friday at 8 p.m., to attend to a broken down vessel in Callander Bay. The three occupants on board the boat were all wearing life jackets. The marine returned everyone to shore without incident.

Patrols also saw several charges laid including

- Chebogan Lake (Grant Twp.) – Friday at 1:50pm – Two adult females in their early 20’s were charged with having open liquor in their boat

- Trout Lake – Saturday at 12:35 p.m. – A 28-year-old Hamilton man was charged with operating a pleasure craft without the prescribed safety equipment.

- Trout Lake – Saturday at 4:25 p.m. – A 33-year-old Belleville man was charged with having open liquor in his boat.

- Stormy lake (Patterson Twp.) – Sunday at 12:45 p.m. – A 34-year-old Clearview Twp. man was charged with having open liquor in his boat.

- Red Cedar Lake – (Thistle Twp.) – Monday at 11 a.m. – A 29-year-old Field man was administered an Alcotest breath demand as a result of an odour of alcohol on his breath. He registered an “Alert,” resulting in his licence being seized and suspended for 3 days.

- Tilden Lake – Monday July 2, 2012 at 3:40pm – A 57yr old North Bay man was administered a Alcotest breath demand as a result of an odour of alcohol on the his breath. He registered an “Alert”, resulting in his licence being seized and suspended for 3 days.

The OPP are reminding the boating public as well as the motoring public, while they cannot be everywhere – they will most certainly be somewhere.