EDITORIAL: Please play it safe on the water this holiday weekend

Published 1:28 pm Wednesday, June 28, 2023

With the July 4th holiday approaching we are in the midst of another busy season out on the water. Tragically, we’ve already experienced a river fatality with last weekend’s drowning of a 22-year-old man from Atlanta. If you’re out on the water, please take precautions. Please remember that water safety encompasses lakes, rivers and pools, and it’s not just for boaters and those on watercraft.

Taking precautions and following rules and regulations is vital.

Georgia DNR includes a list of water safety tips on its website:

•If you are a moderate swimmer — always wear a life jacket. Lake Sinclair has established locations where lake-goers can have their life jackets checked by DNR. Know your limits.

•Alcohol and swimming or boating never mix. Just as with operating a vehicle on the roadway, operating a boat requires a sober and alert driver.

•Always swim with a buddy, never swim alone. And even when you do, tell someone where you are going, when you expect to return, and where to call if you don’t.

•Parents should always keep a close eye on children at or on the water. Don’t get distracted with phones and other electronic devices when around the water.

•Swim in supervised areas only, and remember that drop-offs or other underwater hazards may not be detectable from above the surface.

•Drop-offs that can unexpectedly change water depth.

•Always enter unknown or shallow water cautiously.

•Please know that water conditions can change, especially in the river. Potential hazards include swift currents, flash flooding and underwater obstructions.

The approaching Fourth of July holiday brings the busiest time of year on the local waterways. DNR game wardens will be out enforcing state laws helping to keep everyone safe.

According to DNR game warden Sgt. Bubba Stanford, the river is ever-changing.

“You have a current with it, and many times that current you can’t see. The top of the water doesn’t always show what’s happening underneath.”

Be aware of your surroundings, not only in the water but also along shorelines and near docks and ramps.

If you’re headed to the beach, the lake, the river or the pool this weekend, have fun but please be responsible.

Stay safe.