JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Thousands of people are spending Friday on the St. Johns River for Boater Skip Day. It is the “unofficial” holiday where people play hooky for a fun day on the water.
It is usually a big deal. People want to have a good time but be safe at the same time.
Boat ramps are really busy. The caution is to not only watch out for what you’re doing but be aware of the people around you trying to get in and out of the water.
Even in the wee hours of the morning, people were getting their boat into the water at Eagle Harbor in Fleming Island.
As the sun rose, more people were doing the same thing not too far away at Knight’s Marina in Green Cove Springs.
Chris Anthony and Emily Kopec are hosting what they call a “party on the water” with music and good vibes.
“Sun, handshakes, high-fives, a good time,” is how Anthony described Boater Skip Day. This is his first year of participating.
“Seeing so many people together. Just that feeling of everybody being together,” Kopec said of what she enjoys about this day.
Kopec owns Gone2Sea Boat Rentals in St. Augustine.
“This year I want to feel that feeling again and just be around everybody having a passion of being out on the water,” Kopec said.
Some things to remember and consider are having a life vest or floatation device for every person on each boat, designate a sober boat operator/skipper, stay hydrated and have “360-degree awareness.”
Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook says there are simple things to remember to avoid bad situations.
“[There will be] busy boat ramps,” Cook said. “Be patient. It is going to be backed up, especially as the morning moves on. So, get there as early as possible. Watch out for pedestrians. Watch out for people loading and unloading. Make sure you are keeping an eye out on each other if you’re out there. Especially if you’re out there drinking anything other than water.”
Florida Fish and Wildlife also stressed the importance of being aware of your surroundings on the water, especially on a day like this with so many people in the same space.
The FWC said in 2023 there were 659 reported boating accidents.
Nearly 30% of those incidents the agency said involved someone crashing into a stationary object.
The FWC says that was mainly because either the boat operator was not paying attention or they were inexperienced.
Anthony and Kopec have a plan in place to help keep others safe while also monitoring what they are doing.
“We are throwing stuff out to the crowd,” Anthony said. “Making sure that if we see anything. Just come be on your own, but everyone looks out for everyone. No one is doing anything bad. We’re just listening to music and getting some sun.”
“We are going to be watching out for anybody that is in an unsafe situation,” Kopec said. “I also believe there’s going to be a helicopter flying over the area. So, safety is a huge priority, and we are always looking out for that. Any problems, we are always trying to stop it before it begins.”
So, everyone can have a SAFE, good time on the water.