South Carolina DNR urges boating safety ahead of Memorial Day weekend
SCDNR officials say they are expecting the waterways to be extremely busy this upcoming holiday weekend and want to make sure boaters have everything they need to stay safe. Officials say there are easy ways to protect those on the boats, and say one of the most important things is keeping life jackets on board at all times.
Also make sure your fire extinguisher is working, you have your registration, whistles and horns, and a phone in case of emergencies.
The agency says they'll perform quick, but thorough, inspections for required safety equipment and proper registration.
Those who are not in compliance with regulations will not be ticketed, but instead, will have a chance to correct the problem before they launch their boat into any state waterways.
'We'll set up at a landing like we are here, and you'll just come down,' DNR conservation officer Jay Gregg said. 'We've got a checklist, and if you want us to come check your boat out, we'll be more than happy to do it. Like I said, we're excited about it. It's a good time, but we just want you to be safe. And this weekend is when everybody's pretty much coming out for the rest of the summer.'
Boating inspections will be held from 10 a.m. to noon at the following locations:
Saturday:
Anderson County: Twim Lakes Landing, Lake Hartwell
Berkeley County: William Dennis Landing, Tail Race Canal
Charleston County: Wapoo Cut Landing, Intracoastal Waterway
Fairfield County: Molly Creek
Greenwood County: SC Highway 72 Landing at Break on the Lake
Horry County: Little River Landing
Lexington County: Lake Murray Dam Landing
Sunday:
Beaufort County: Broad River Landing
Charleston County: Remley's Point
Claredon County: Alex Harvin Landing, Lake Marion
Colleton County: Bennett's Point
Kershaw County: Clearwater Cove Landing, Lake Wateree
McCormick County: Dorn Landing, Lake Thurmond
Monday:
Beaufort County: Lemon Island Boat Ramp
Charleston County: Limehouse Landing
Georgetown County: Carroll Ashmore Campbell Marine Complex Landing
Lexington County: Lake Murray Sam
Pickens County: South Cove Landing, Lake Keowee
York County: Allison Creek Park Landing, Lake Wylie
* * *
Gracie is a multimedia journalist at News 13 and is from Cleveland, Ohio. Gracie joined the team in June 2023 after graduating from the University of Alabama in May. Follow Gracie on Facebook, Instagram and X, formerly Twitter, & read more of her work here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
a day ago
- CBS News
Slow, no wake advisories hit Twin Cities metro lakes ahead of Fourth of July
Ahead of one of the busiest boating weekends of the calendar year, Minnesota boaters are getting warned to keep the speed to a crawl on lakes throughout the metro. After a particularly wet June, lakes across Hennepin, Stearns, Meeker and other counties are reducing slow/no wake areas. On Tuesday, the City of Plymouth announced slow/no wake zones within 600 feet of shore. It's a similar story at Eagle Lake, Long Lake, Cedar Lake, Fish Lake, Buffalo and Lake Pulaski. "Unfortunately, we've seen a lot of rain, probably too much rain recently – that's going to definitely increase our lake levels," said Captain Adam Block of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. "If you add waves to that, those waves, that water is traveling even further up the shoreline and saturating even more property." In Annandale, Charter Marina and Rentals is preparing for one of its busiest weekends of the year. "Fourth of July, that's just kind of the first thing we think of – I want to get on the water," said Josh Grangroth. "On July 4, it's not uncommon to see like 100 phone calls." Grangroth says they're still planning to rent boats, jet skis and more – but with added guidance to renters to look for local rules. "Definitely get out there, enjoy the Fourth of July, just be knowledgeable about the activities you're doing," he said.
Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Record number expected to travel for Fourth of July weekend
A record number of travelers are expected during the upcoming Fourth of July weekend, area travel experts said. According to its website, the AAA group is predicting that 'Fourth of July travel in 2025 will be the busiest ever, with 72.2 million people traveling at least 50 miles from home.' 'A significant portion of these travelers, 61.6 million, are expected to drive, setting a new record for road trips. Air travel is also predicted to be at a record high, with 5.84 million passengers flying domestically,' the site said. AAA is basing its predictions on travel from June 28 through July 6 – a time span that spokesperson Molly Hart for AAA Auto Club in Illinois and Indiana said 'was based on data we have about pre-bookings for trips.' 'With the Fourth of July being on a Friday, people are going to extend the week and we opted to do this two-week forecast which we've been doing with the other holidays,' Hart said about starting its travel forecast on Saturday, June 28. 'People are electing to travel more and are making it a priority and some have already left for trips that will be eight or nine days, based on a number of factors including peoples' ability to work remotely.' Hart said that here in Illinois, recording breaking travel is also on tap. 'We are again reaching historic levels with 4.2 million Illinoisans hitting the roads, skies, or rails – that's up 104,000 from last year,' Hart said. 'Driving is the popular way to travel with nearly 3.9 million taking a road trip, with flying nearly 152,000, which is comparable to last year.' Hart noted the prediction is that '257,000 will take a bus, train or cruise' this holiday season. 'Speaking of cruises, the Alaskan cruise is really popular right now as it's peak season and a lot of people are going there right now,' she said. Hart said numbers expected to travel are fueled by a number of factors including gas prices which, as of June 28, averaged $3.48 a gallon in Illinois. down 39 cents from a year ago. 'Chicago's price is $3.84, down 52 cents from a year ago, but gas prices are not deterring people from taking a trip,' she said. 'What we are seeing is many people are staying more domestic – traveling within the United States. They are prioritizing travel over other things. With the economics, people are decreasing the number of trips, but are going for an extended time. 'People are not booking as much for first-class but are splurging for the upgrade in hotels or other things,' Hart added. She noted that a record number of people traveled during the Memorial Day weekend this year. With a record number projected to travel during the Fourth of July weekend, a lot of people are on the move during the holidays. 'We don't know how long this record-breaking trend we've seen is going to continue, but people are prioritizing traveling and maybe budgeting differently with other things so they can go somewhere,' she added. 'Maybe next year it won't be recording-breaking, but now they're doing other things. Maybe they're not dining out as much during the year to save money for travel.' Regarding the best time to hit the road, Hart recommends that people 'get up and go.' 'You want to leave before 10 a.m.,' she said. 'Coming back, you want to leave before 11 a.m.'
The Hill
6 days ago
- The Hill
Traveling for July Fourth? When to expect the worst traffic, busiest airports
(NEXSTAR) – With the Fourth of July falling on a Friday, experts at auto club AAA are expecting a record-setting 72.2 million Americans to take a domestic trip over the long weekend, packing the nation's highways, rails and airports. As for road trips, AAA is forecasting that a record 61.6 million people will travel by car – a 2.2% increase, or 1.3 million additional travelers, over last year. 'Summertime is one of the busiest travel seasons of the year, and July 4th is one of the most popular times to get away,' said Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel. 'Following Memorial Day's record forecast, AAA is seeing strong demand for road trips and air travel over Independence Day week. With the holiday falling on a Friday, travelers have the option of making it a long weekend or taking the entire week to make memories with family and friends.' According to transportation data provider Inrix, July 2 and July 6 are expected to be the busiest driving days. With the potential for construction delays, crashes or severe weather, Independence Day travelers are advised to leave early as the afternoon hours are expected to be the most congested. Inrix gave this break down of the best and worst times by day: A number of major highways received special mention when it comes to the worst travel times (all times local): Before fighting your way through Fourth of July traffic, AAA recommends taking the following precautions: get routine vehicle maintenance done beforehand, and make sure to pack an emergency kit. The Transportation Security Administration says it is prepared for the holiday rush at the nation's airports, but warns air travelers that they should expect the busiest day to be Sunday, July 6, when passenger volume is forecast to reach 2.9 million. 'We are deploying technologies and procedures to improve security and enhance the passenger experience, including for families,' TSA Acting Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill said in a press release. 'We ask travelers to pack their patience, especially during peak travel days, as we work to provide maximum hospitality to our customers.' The TSA also reminds parents and guardians enrolled in TSA PreCheck that children 12 and under can accompany them in the security lanes without any restrictions. AAA projects that the Fourth of July week will see a record 5.84 million air travelers over the Independence Day week, a 1.4% jump from last year's record of 5.76 million. Also up from last year is the average cost of a domestic flight for the holiday – $810 is 4% higher than last year's numbers. According to AAA, the most popular domestic destinations are Orlando, FL; Seattle, WA; New York, NY; Anchorage, AK; Fort Lauderdale, FL; Honolulu, FL; Denver, CO; Miami, FL; Boston, MA; and Atlanta, GA. The top international destination is Vancouver, Canada, followed by Rome, Italy; Paris, France; London, England; Barcelona, Spain; Dublin, Ireland; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Calgary, Canada; Athens, Greece; and Lisbon, Portugal.
