STANDISH, Maine — Many folks are taking to the water to celebrate the 4th of July holiday.
Extra law enforcement is out in force to make sure boaters across Maine are celebrating safely.
As part of Operation Dry Water, officers are on the lookout for boaters who may be boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
The Fourth of July is one of the busiest days on Maine's second-biggest lake.
"They are stir-crazy. They have been in the house all winter long, and this is kicking the summer off," Pete Herring, the district game warden for the Maine Warden Service, explained.
Herring along with extra officers, are covering 45 square miles of Sebago Lake to ensure boaters are not under the influence of drugs and alcohol, especially when they are behind the wheel.
Herring said several factors intensify the effects of alcohol, including the sun, wind, noise, and the movement of the boat.
"It has three times the effect it would have on land, and a lot of that is because people have empty stomachs and are dehydrated," he explained.
Wardens and marine patrol officers monitor lakes, waterways, and the Gulf of Maine to keep boaters and passengers safe throughout the long holiday weekend.
"We often do safety checks on boats, making sure they have the proper equipment," Herring added.
In Maine, all children under 10 must wear life jackets. Adults don't have to wear them, but one must be available for every person on a boat. Other equipment must also be on board.
Wardens are closely monitoring a popular sandbar at Sebago Lake State Park, which is expected to draw hundreds of boats and is known for criminal activity.
"We have domestics and assaults and everything that comes along with drinking," Herring said.
State police and sheriff's deputies will be backing up wardens throughout the operation with possible arrests. Officers said with nearly half of all boating crashes involving alcohol they hope boaters take this message seriously. Operation Dry Water, a nationwide campaign, will continue through July 6.