Finger pointing is never productive and yet opposing sides often fall victim to wielding accusations of blame. But there is another way! Join us to learn how stakeholders on the Occoquan River were invited to cooperatively solve a big problem: mixing "human-powered craft" such as paddleboards and kayaks, with power boats that want to go fast and not think about their wake.

CAPCA member Captain Bob Schwartz has been leading a cooperative approach for four years on the Occoquan River and has achieved amazing results. His story is inspirational and serves as a model for how to bring together various stakeholders, including boaters, USCG, DNR, Fire, Police, county officials, and CG Auxiliary, to collectively discuss and solve safety challenges. Bob will share lessons learned and review techniques they used to get cooperation from so many diverse agencies. He will also share practical tips for how to keep waters safe for all types of vessels, including sponsoring river safety courses.