Ahoy, water warriors! In the wake of the first-ever statewide compliance blitz for 2024, dubbed "Operation Stay Afloat," NSW Maritime is making waves with a serious reminder to jetskiers: riding the waterways should be a blast, but it's crucial to keep it safe for everyone out there.

In a bid to make a splash about safety on the state's water highways, NSW Maritime crews went full throttle, conducting over 2000 vessel safety checks. While a cool 87 per cent of boat and jetski enthusiasts were sailing smoothly, authorities issued 186 reminders and 81 penalty notices – a friendly nudge to keep things shipshape.

Of the hot-button issues, 31.4 per cent of the notices were dished out for forgetting the maritime equivalent of a superhero cape – the lifejacket. Another 27.7 per cent were caught in the wild without the proper license or cruising on an unregistered vessel. And for those speed demons out there, 11.2 per cent got a gentle tap on the brakes for exceeding the aquatic speed limit.

This crackdown comes after a year where jetski-related offences surfed a wave of popularity, reaching 1560 cases in 2023 – a whopping 53 per cent jump from the previous year's 1023 splashy misadventures. Speeding alone made up nearly 30 per cent of the wet and wild offenses.

Sydney waters seem to be a hotbed for aqua-mischief, especially in George's River, Botany Bay, and Port Hacking, which snagged the top spots for illegal shenanigans leading to penalties.

Jetsetters on water have become a force to be reckoned with, with over 90,000 licensed riders in New South Wales, marking a 35 per cent surge since 2020. The biggest spike has been among the cool cats of Generation Z, with more than 23,000 licensed riders aged 13 to 28 – a 22 per cent increase from last year.

The top five Local Government Areas for the latest wave of licenses are Canterbury-Bankstown, Sutherland Shire, Central Coast, Lake Macquarie, and the Northern Beaches – proving that jetskis have become the hottest aquatic trend in town – except for Kiama?  Thank goodness for those surf beaches.  

Minister for the Illawarra and the South Coast Ryan Park commented: “We want our Illawarra and South Coast communities to feel safe and relaxed when using all of our beautiful waterways, including Lake Illawarra. If jetski riders are making others uncomfortable, Maritime will take action. Speeding and unsafe riding on a jetski is a recipe for disaster on our waterways. Jetskis are overrepresented in serious injury incidents, if you have an accident on one, it’s highly likely you’ll suffer a serious injury.”

But, before you rev those engines, heed the warnings: A splash of serious injuries involving personal watercraft, including jetskis, has authorities on high alert, especially in hotspots like Brighton Beach and Georges River in Sydney.

For those in need of a water safety refresher, check out NSW Maritime's Jetski Safety Guide.

So, fellow water wanderers, let's make 2024 the year of the chill and the thrill – responsibly, of course!