CORNELIUS, N.C. — Lakes in the area will be packed this holiday weekend. State wildlife officials said they're going to be enforcing boating laws and social distancing.
“From what we’ve seen in the past two to three months in the prime boating season, this weekend will busy, if not busier than previous years,” Officer Zach Allman said.
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Allman said he'll be wearing his mask on patrol this weekend but will not force others to wear theirs. He anticipates people might choose not to, since boating is recreational. He said officers will be monitoring social distancing, especially around sandbars.
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“If you’re on the boat with your family or close friends, that’s different,” Allman said. “We see a lot of the rafting up and stuff like that. We’re trying to discourage that as much as we can.”
Allman said with the crowds expected, educating people on social distancing and boating laws will be even more critical. He wants to remind people that kids under 13 are required to wear a life jacket. He said they will be out looking for underage drinking and for people who aren’t following safety laws. He said some people need to take boating safety education if they want to operate a boat. That applies to people who are 32 years and younger, but there are exceptions.
“Especially on Lake Norman, there’s going to be a massive amount of boats out here, and that’s what our main focus is. Just safety. Just safety, really,” Allman said.
Wildlife officials said three people have drowned this season.
In all three cases, the victims jumped off boats without wearing a life jacket to swim and never resurfaced.
Wildlife is making sure children have their life jackets.
Officer Matthew Lee partnered with Safe Kids for a Life Jacket program. The life jackets are at the Pinnacle boat access off Highway 150.
“What the program does is it provides life jackets, so when an individual is out on the lake, if they come to the lake and they forget their life jacket -- they can use one and at the end of their outing, they can return the life jacket for someone else to use,” Lee said.
Elliot Fraiser said Lake Norman Stay and Play has been completely booked and will be for the next three weeks.
“I think with everyone working from home and the lack there of entertainment, no one can go to the movies, it’s kind of still uncomfortable to eat out and go to the mall,” Fraiser said. “To go on the lake with just family and friends, maybe makes people feel more comfortable, more safe and is a safer alternative.”
Carolina Boat Rental in Cornelius said their boats have also been booked for weeks. Owner Noreisis Sdone said they are asking everyone on one reservation to be part of the same family. Sdone also reminds renters to social distance and to wear masks when they show up to get their boats.
“I feel happy when I see people, like even little children. They wear their masking, but you don’t see that on every family,” said Sdone.
The company said its biggest focus will be disinfecting high-touch areas after each boat rental.
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