VALDOSTA — According to the Georgia DNR Law Enforcement Division, boat sober, but if you are going to drink while out on the boat, have a designated skipper, or the results could be devastating.

That is the strong message of a nationally coordinated effort dubbed Operation Dry Water that Georgia DNR Law Enforcement Division will be participating in on waterways across the state.

Operation Dry Water is a multi-agency, education and enforcement initiative which includes, in addition to Ga. DNR, thousands of other law enforcement agencies across the nation, that will be focusing on reducing the number of accidents and fatalities related to boating under the influence (BUI). 

The mission of Operation Dry Water is also to bring awareness and education to recreational boaters about the dangers of alcohol and drug use on the water.

“A fun day with family and friends on the boat can turn into a tragic day when someone chooses to drive the boat while intoxicated,” said Law Enforcement Division Assistant Director Lt. Col. Jeff Weaver. “We want everyone to enjoy the day and to go home safely and the best way to do that is to stay alert, follow the rules and boat sober.”

 Despite the fact that it is against the law nationwide for a person to operate a recreational vessel with an unlawful blood alcohol concentration (.08 or higher in Georgia), BUI continues to be a problem across the U.S. In 2014, alcohol use was a factor in nearly one-fourth (21 percent) of boating deaths nationwide. Operation Dry Water was launched by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators in 2009 in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard and puts thousands of local, state and federal marine law enforcement officers on the water just before the Fourth of July to give BUI enforcement high visibility before a holiday known for drinking and boating.