Staying safe while boating on lakes and rivers across the Ozarks

BRANSON, Mo. (KY3) - Hitting the water and catching some sun is always part of a good Labor day celebration at Table Rock Lake, and so far this holiday weekend boat ramps and marinas have been kept busy.

Law enforcement is also out this weekend of course, making sure people are celebrating safely.

Sam Carpenter with Missouri State Highway Patrol said patrol will be out all weekend long, especially keeping an eye out for intoxicated drivers.

“We obviously understand people are going to go out and celebrate,” Carpenter said. “And a lot of those celebrations are going to involve alcohol. We just nowadays, there is absolutely no reason to be arrested driving while intoxicated.”

He said people have so many alternatives to driving while intoxicated.

“There are cabs,” he said. “Bars do shuttles nowadays. And there is Lyft, Uber all of that stuff is available to you. We expect people to utilize those services to keep us all safe.”

Carpenter also said the same thing goes for people actually on the water.

”If you know you’re going to be drinking, designate a sober driver or a sober boat captain,” he said. “Because you still can get a boating while intoxicated ticket and arrest.”

He also said one thing people need to keep in mind if the safety of jumping from high areas. Carpenter said it seems like there are people who try to jump off a bridge into the water almost every year.

While bridge jumping is illegal, jumping from cliffs are a bit different he said.

“We do have our area lakes where there are several locations where that is a possibility,” Carpenter said. “There’s nothing against the law about jumping off a cliff. You just have to be smart about it. And know what’s in the water beneath that cliff. How tall the jump is. How deep the water is.”

He said he always recommends people wear life jackets if they do decide to do so.

“Unfortunate things do happen,” Carpenter said. “And by some chance if you hit the water and are rendered unconscious, that personal flotation device is going to keep you up on the service of the water and allow someone to be able to rescue you.”

One person was already seriously injured and sent to a hospital this weekend after a jump at Stockton Lake.

Marinas at Table Rock Lake have been quite busy this weekend, and safety is also a top priority for them as well. Mitch Schupp with Table Rock Lake State Park Marina said he and his crew are always making sure everyone is well prepared to go out on the water.

“Our deck hands and our store staff go over the whole lake with them,” he said. “We kind of give them boundaries, like here’s where you should go and here’s where you shouldn’t go. If you’re going to be skiing or tubing lets try and pick an area where there is not a lot of traffic. Stay out of the main areas.”

He said his team also goes over all the safety equipment, including ski flags. Schupp also said boaters are all give life jackets to wear as well.

“We kind of feel like when our group and our guests leave here, they are probably as knowledgeable about boating as anyone else on the lake,” he said.

Schupp said he has been in the area for 23 years and was amazed how well things went this weekend, even when things got very busy during a large boat parade on Saturday.

“This is the friendliest, safest weekend that I’ve seen a Labor Day weekend in many years,” he said. “Everybody came here with positive attitudes this weekend. Everybody was safe. It has made for a really fun weekend for everybody that came in.”

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