July 4th weekend is here, and so is the annual reminder that Lake Lanier — Georgia’s most popular and most punishing stretch of water — does not care how festive your float is.
What’s happening: The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office put out boating safety tips ahead of the holiday weekend, when thousands of people are expected to hit Lake Lanier. The lake, which straddles the Forsyth-Hall County line north of Atlanta, has a long and well-documented history of boating accidents and drowning deaths, especially around holiday weekends.
What this means for you: Six rules the sheriff’s office wants every boater to know before they leave the dock:
- Wear a life jacket at all times
- Do not drink alcohol while operating a boat
- Check the weather and boating forecast before you go
- Follow wake zone speed limits and rules
- Keep your speed safe
- Do not overload your boat
The path forward: The tips apply through the July 4th holiday weekend and beyond. If you’re heading to the lake, these simple rules could make a huge difference.
We need to talk about our cousin Earl. You know the one—he’s got the Confederate flag swim trunks and thinks ‘hold my beer’ is a complete strategic plan.
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B.T. Clark is the Publisher of The Georgia Sun and author of Principles Are Like Pants… You Ought to Have Some. Over two decades in journalism, he has served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc., earning multiple awards along the way. His work has appeared in newspapers across the state, including The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal.
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
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