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Waves rippled throughout South Watuppa Pond beneath an overcast sky early Tuesday afternoon. Only days after first responders positioned a Fall River teenager who had drowned within the pond, exercise had returned: households picnicked and pickup vehicles with boat trailers lined the car parking zone. A jet ski roared previous the general public boat ramp at Dave’s Beach.
The teenager discovered within the pond late Sunday night, July 12, was recognized as 17-year-old Tristan Major by the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office.
According to a GoFundMe web page created by his mom, he had not too long ago modified his title to Rohan Rhys. He didn’t resurface after swimming with two others within the pond on Sunday night time, legislation enforcement mentioned.
Swimming in South Watuppa Pond
While not prohibited, swimming may be troublesome in South Watuppa Pond, which is ringed by personal property. There are not any public seashores on its shores. Its solely public entry level in Fall River is the boat ramp at Dave’s Beach, the place swimming shouldn’t be allowed.
According to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, the South Watuppa waters have low visibility. The pond itself is massive at 1,460 acres with a mean depth of 14.5 toes. It is extra generally used for boating and fishing, with bass, perch and different species out there.
On Tuesday afternoon, a “No Trespassing” signal held on the pondside between two personal homes on Dickinson Street the place first responders arrived to seek for Rhys on Sunday night time.
In the previous, a number of textile factories sat alongside South Watuppa Pond, which is the third-largest naturally occurring water physique in Massachusetts. Swimming has been quickly banned within the pond earlier than, together with throughout a 2018 algae bloom.
Rowing coach: Winds could make South Watuppa harmful
Just previous the boat ramp, head coach Dante Procopio labored on the Watuppa Rowing Club on Tuesday. He mentioned the water physique differs from others in a single necessary manner.
“Because it’s such a large body of water, the wind direction really matters. For us, if it’s blowing out of the east anything more than, like, 8 mph sustained winds, we won’t go out,” he mentioned.
By the time waves attain the pond’s western shore in Fall River, Procopio mentioned, they will spell bother for his membership’s racing boats or for small motorboats. He mentioned his membership all the time checks wind forecasts earlier than occurring the water.
“It’s the Northeast. Wind will change 180 degrees in five minutes,” he mentioned.
Any swimming performed throughout the membership’s summer season packages takes place in life vests, Procopio mentioned. While rowers who’ve handed swim assessments don’t have to put on life vests whereas rowing, he mentioned, coaches use motorboats throughout practices which can be geared up with life vests for everyone.
Winds blew at about 2 miles per hour from the south across the time of the report concerning Rhys’ drowning, in line with climate information.
Massachusetts has tightened boating security legislation
In January 2025, Massachusetts accepted a brand new boating safety law that requires security training to function motorboats, together with private watercraft like jet skis.
The legislation states that security programs will align with these set by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators. They will cowl navigation guidelines, emergency procedures and pure useful resource safety, in line with the Massachusetts Environmental Police’s website.
People born after Jan. 1, 1989, needed to full the brand new necessities by April 1, 2026, to drive motorboats. Those born earlier than 1989 have till April 1, 2028, to take action. The company’s web site consists of hyperlinks to enroll in security programs. People who use boats for work or faculty or are transferring out-of-state boating licenses may qualify for an exemption from the security course.
In Massachusetts, life vests are already required to be worn by youths beneath 12, private watercraft customers and water skiers, in addition to kayakers and canoeists between Sept. 15 and May 15. They will not be required for grownup customers of ordinary motorboats. Swim assessments will not be required to function boats.
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