ON AUGUST 28TH AT APPROXIMATELY 12:30PM VESSEL 1 WAS BEACHED ON THE ISLAND EAST OF CHANNEL MARKER D4.  THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER BOATS BEACHED ON THE ISLAND BESIDE VESSEL 1 ALONG WITH A SMALL SWImmING AREA BESIDE.  THE OPERATOR OF VESSEL 1, AND HIS FAMILY PACKED UP AND WERE LEAVING THE ISLAND.  operator WHO WAS INEXPERIENCED WITH HIS BOAT STARTED TO BACK OFF OF THE ISLAND.  AS HE WAS BACKING, HE BEGAN TO THROTTLE UP AND TURN THE BOAT AROUND.  HE HEARD PEOPLE START TO YELL THAT SOMEONE WAS BEHIND HIM.  HE THEN ATTEMPTED TO PLACE HIS VESSEL IN FORWARD GEAR AND COULDN'T GET THE VESSEL IN GEAR SO HE PULLED THE KILL SWITCH.  THE MOMENTUM CARRIED THE VESSEL AND IT STRUCK A SWIMMER.  victim WAS TAKEN TO PRESBYTERIAL HOSPITAL IN HUNTERSVILLE WHERE HE WAS TREATED FOR A LACERATION ON THE BACK OF HIS HEAD.  UPON COMPLETION OF THE INVESTIGATION, MY OPINION IS THE ACCIDENT WAS BASED ON OPERATOR INEXPERIENCE AND NO CHARGES WERE FILED.
CORNELIUS                     