LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — If you're ready to hit the water this holiday weekend, you're probably not the only one.
Arkansas Game and Fish officials expect thousands to head out to the lakes and rivers to celebrate July Fourth, but there's a word of caution before that happens.
"This is by far the biggest boating weekend in Arkansas," Trey Reid with Arkansas Game and Fish said. "With the Fourth falling on a Tuesday, you've got four or five days that people will celebrate."
Adding to that are the states around us. Reid said about 250,000 registered boats in Arkansas, but travelers from nearby states could inflate that.
"You're probably looking at half a million boats on the water this weekend," Reid said.
With heavy traffic on the water, Reid said there are a few simple things to do to stay safe.
"Just pay attention," Reid said. "Just know what's going on around you out there."
Those rules matter no matter the size of the boat.
"We want to supply you with a way to get on the water safely," Rock Town River Outfitters Sam Ellis said. "If you guys are boating on the water this weekend, know your boat, know your capacity for that boat, always have an anchor and bring your life jacket."
In addition, Reid said rules about being intoxicated behind the wheel are just as dangerous if that wheel is connected to a boat.
"Many people like enjoying an adult beverage on the lake," Reid said. "That's fine, just don't drive and drink."
And above all, maybe the most basic reminder – wear a life jacket.
"We've already had 24 boating accidents in Arkansas, eight of those involve fatalities," Reid said. "Many of those could have been prevented by wearing a life jacket."
Reid also tells us that law enforcement will be out on the waterways in force this holiday weekend.