On this holiday weekend, many people are getting outside to enjoy the nice weather.
For many people, boating is the best way to spend Memorial Day Weekend. But state officials are urging people who head to the water to be careful.
“We had a great time. We went fishing. Didn’t do real well. But we enjoy the weather,” says Wayne Halvorson of Haddam.
But the waters can be like the roads and something can easily go wrong.
“A moment’s distraction can lead to an accident or something worse,” says Mark Chanski, DEEP boating resource technician.
On Sunday, Chanski was out patrolling and reminding boaters about safety.
“It all comes down to keeping a proper lookout, going slow if you’re not sure about what somebody is going to do, just stop and wait for them to pass, give people plenty of space,” says Chanski.
Chanski says officials will be looking for issues including speed, safety, and people boating under the influence. He also has a reminder for people not in motor boats.
“Now between October 1st and May 31st anyone on a manually propelled vessel actually needs to be wearing their life jackets. All the other times during the year, they need to carry them,” says Chanski.
While the weather this weekend was good, things can quickly change.
“Always keep an eye on the weather, check it before you go, check it under way,” says Chanski.
Chanski suggests checking your smartphone for the weather.
The NBC Connecticut Weather app will give you all the warning you need of approaching bad weather.
