SpongeBob keeps a boat from going under the sea

The theme song for Nickelodeon's SpongeBob SquarePants sings "Absorbent and yellow and porous is he!" They weren't kidding. This Coast Guard press release tells the story of how SpongeBob (a Nerf football with his face on it) helped save a sinking boat after a Coast Guard crew responded to a rescue call.

Upon dewatering the vessel, a large crack in the vessel's exhaust pipe was revealed as the source of the flooding. The best solution was to plug the exhaust hole externally with a round object, and rescuers began searching the vessel for something that fit the bill.

"I wish we had our football," said Petty Officer Second Class Daniel Bartholomew of the rescue crew. Finally, a crewmember aboard the Clam Juice grabbed a Sponge Bob Nerf football that was down below.

True to Sponge Bob's character, the squishy football sealed the hole perfectly and allowed the Clam Juice to be towed to Browns Yacht Yard for more permanent repairs.

You can read more on the Coast Guard homepage.

Clean your boat to protect the water against harmful critters

The South Bend Tribune features a story on a request from the The Indiana Department of Natural Resources on keeping your boat clean.

Animals, plants, and diseases that can cause fish kills, such as Eurasian water milfoil, hydrilla, zebra mussels (pictured left), or emerging viral hemorrhagic septicemia can be transmitted by boats.

Boating with your dog

Families who enjoy boating together can bring their pets along for the ride. If you are planning to take your dog with you on a boating trip, check out the suggestions on DogFlu.ca, which features a story about dogs and boating.

Tips range from properly supervising your dog to making sure their paws don't slip on a fiberglass boat deck.

Do you take your pets with you when boating? Do you have any advice or safety tips? Leave a comment and tell us your story.

Boater education could become law in Virginia

WSLS in Roanoke, Virginia, reports on a bill requiring mandatory boater education. The bill has passed the Virginia General Assembly, but still has to be signed by Virginia Governor Tim Kaine.

If the bill becomes law, any operator of a motorboat of ten horsepower or more would have to pass a boater safety course. Anyone caught operating a boat without taking the course would be subject to a $100 fine.

What do you think? Will mandatory boater education make the waterways safer? Tell us what you think and post a comment.