Okatibbee Lake ready for holiday weekend

By By Erin Hilsabeck / staff writer
May 28, 2004
It's Memorial Day weekend time to throw burgers on the grill, grab the sunscreen and head to the lake.
If you are one of the many who will set sail on Okatibbee Lake this weekend, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks wants to make sure you do it safely.
The department and Okatibbee Lake park rangers have spent days preparing for the holiday weekend their busiest three days of the year if the weather remains sunny and dry.
This is the first weekend of the year many boaters will hit the waves, and Wilder said it is important for them to take time to adequately prepare their watercraft for the first time out.
Boaters under age 12 must at all times while aboard a boat wear a Coast Guard-approved, Type III life jacket, which is designed for calm water. Wilder said he recommends all passengers wear one regardless of age.
Boats 16 feet and longer must have a Type IV device, such as a seat cushion or throw ring that can be tossed into the water. And, Wilder said, all boats must have one wearable life jacket for each person on board.
Boaters have the option of letting a park ranger inspect their boat before entering the water. Wilder said the last-minute check can help people "avoid a citation or a tragedy."
Citations vary depending on the offense, but including court costs, can exceed $185.
Eight boating-related fatalities have been reported in Mississippi since Jan. 1, two of which were in privately-owned waters. This, Wilder said, is dangerously close to the nine total fatalities of 2003.
If Okatibbee visitors aren't boating, chances are they could be using its public beaches.
Despite last year's high water levels, the lake currently is about 11⁄2 feet below average. Mark Dean, an Okatibbee Lake park ranger, said that has left swimming areas shallow.
Buoys, which mark off the swimming areas, separate swimmers from boaters. The buoys also protect swimmers from sudden drop offs in the lake.
Dean offered two pieces of crucial advice: always swim with a buddy and always watch your children.
Roy Tindell, manager of the Cove's Nest Marina restaurant at Okatibbee Lake, said most of the people at the lake this weekend will be under 25.
During the busy weekend, rangers will hand out whistles, frisbees, coloring books and safety leaflets at boat inspection sites.