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By Jed Blackwell
With summer officially underway and the July 4 holiday around the corner, outdoor enthusiasts will be making the most of the long days and warm weather. One place that will draw a huge crowd is Lake William C. Bowen, the largest recreational lake in the Spartanburg Water System.
Lake Warden Eddie Dearybury is happy to see the crowds coming out, but is hopeful that all boaters will remember to help make the lake as safe as possible.
“We really have to depend a lot on the boaters,” Dearybury said. “Weekends and holidays are our busiest times, and we have four wardens and myself out on the water on and off all the time. At especially busy times, DNR will send enforcement officers. We’re able to look for safety violations and other issues. But we still need the help of the boaters to make sure they keep themselves safe.”
Dearybury said that the wide variety of watercraft allowed on Lake Bowen made safety precautions even more important.
“We’re the biggest lake in Spartanburg County for recreational use,” he said. “It gets real busy, and real crowded. The biggest thing for us is checking to make sure that everyone has all their safety equipment and life jackets. According to the size of the boat, they need a throw cushion that they could throw to somebody overboard. They need to have all their safety features in place.”
Dearybury also said that the water was an even more dangerous place for operating under the influence.
“Especially in the hot summer, when you get boats out here on the water people want to have some alcohol. When it’s that hot, they get to drinking a few beers and it can cause some problems. We don’t allow any alcohol in the park, and we discourage it on the water. But if people must drink, we want them to have somebody operating the boat that knows what they’re doing and is sober. We want everybody to have a good time, but we want them to be safe, too.”
Dearybury said making sure you can safely operate your boat is essential.
“Responsibility goes a long way,” he said. “It’s kind of like driving your vehicle. Be watching for others. Take a boating class. We offer them here in the spring and early summer, and we’ve done four already. We like to have at least 10 students in a class, and all the guys here are certified instructors. We teach the basics, and it’s a good course to take as a first course in boat safety or a refresher course.”
Dearybury also said the assistance of homeowners on the lake with an eye toward safety was very valuable.
“We have a good relationship with most of the folks that live on the lake,” he said. “If they see anything that concerns them, they’ll give us a call. We’ve got a 24 hour number, and they’ll call us. Sometimes they can even give us the color or the numbers on a boat that they’re concerned about.”
With summer crowds in full force, Dearybury also had some pointers about making the most of your time on the lake.
“The lake is restricted as far as horsepower limits,” he said. “You can put a sailboat, canoe, or kayak out here, on up to a jet ski or a mastercraft for skiing. But, some areas are restricted for tubing and skiing, and you can get to those areas if you want to get away from that.”
The warden also had a pointer to avoid the crowds.
“Mid-afternoon is our busiest time,” he said. “Even during the week, once the people who live on the lake get home, we’re busy from then on up through sunset. The first part of the week - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday - it’s usually not as busy. Most of the time, the boaters out then will be the folks that live here.”
Dearybury said the weather was another thing that could cause safety concerns on the lake. He urges boaters to use caution in bad weather.
“When it’s as hot as it’s been during the days, you’re going to get some kind of storm almost every afternoon, or the possibility of it, anyway,” he said. “Check the weather before you come. You can even stop and check at our office. If there are weather advisories, we’ll let boaters know before they put in. If you’re out on the water and you see a cloud on the other end of the lake, don’t wait until it’s on you before you try to get out, because everybody else is going to be getting out, too. Leave in plenty of time. If you do get caught, tie up to somebody’s dock or pull up on somebody’s bank and ride it out. But make your decision early. Don’t wait until it’s right on top of you.”
Dearybury said that his advice on safe boating could be summed up in one thought.
“Use good, common sense,” he said. “The Fourth of July is coming up, and I expect with it being on a Saturday, Thursday through Monday is pretty much going to be an extended weekend. It’s going to be crowded. There’s going to be a lot of traffic, a lot of people, and a lot of enforcement here. Watch the other person. You’re pretty sure of what you’re going to do, but keep an eye out for that other boater and use safe practices.”
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