Safety in lightning storms

There are storms about. With summer on the horizon, forecasts of global warming, and more extreme weather events predicted, those angry storms are only going to become more common.

Of course, boating when storms are approaching is a typical part of
fishing during the Wet Season in the tropical north. Just ask the poor fisho who was struck by lightning back in March on the Daly River. The exploding rod nearly killed him.

However, there are a few precautions that you can
take to reduce the risk of lightning strikes harming yourself and your
crew.

Remove all fishing rods from rod holders and place on the
floor, stay as low to the floor as you can, wear your rubber thongs or shoes,
seek shelter near the bank or coastline, secure your boat, make sure your
scuppers and freeing ports are open and your bilge pump is working... and wait the
storm out.

These precautions will help you survive the passing storm
and ensure you can continue to catch your elusive fish, advises the Department of Transport, NT.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in America has some more good oil about avoiding lightning strikes while on the water. And let's face it, lightning knows no bounds.

The NOAA says the vast majority of lightning injuries and deaths on boats occur on small craft with no cabin.

It is crucial to listen to weather information when you are boating. If thunderstorms are forecast, do not go out. If you are out and cannot get back to land safety, drop anchor and keep as low as possible.

Large boats with cabins, especially those with lightning protection systems properly installed, or metal marine vessels are relatively safe. Remember to stay inside the cabin but away from any metal surfaces in there. Stay off the radio unless it is an emergency!?

Divers on a boat without a cabin are best off hiding deep in the water for the duration of the storm or as long as possible, says NOAA.

As outlined above, all anglers should drop their rods, which are conductors, and stay low.

There's a library of frightening images from a lightning-struck angler that you can view and comment on at http://imgur.com/gallery/F1S8M. We have run one of these above.

Save the radar pages from the Bureau of Meteorology at http://www.bom.gov.au/australia/radar/ to your phone, devices and desktop and avoid boating in electrical storms, when yachts are especially prone to strikes, of course.