Memorial Day celebrations are underway this weekend, and individuals should take the time to look over their boats before going out on the waters. Being able to locate and access life jackets or a fire extinguisher quickly on a boat can save lives. According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, there were seven boating-related fatalities and 13 incidents involving injuries in 2019. Lake Darling State Park Ranger Zach Haworth is excited to see everyone return to Lake Darling for camping, but reminds boaters about taking the time to go over safety equipment on a vessel, “They need to have one life jacket per person on those vessels and are readily accessible. We were unfortunate last year and had a drowning on the Skunk River. Could that have potentially been avoided if they had a life jacket available? I would argue yes. It’s just taking the time putting some thought into it prior to going out, and making sure you have the proper safety equipment can really prevent a tragedy from happening.” 

Haworth says Lake Darling does not have a limit on the amount of boaters who can be on the waters at one time, as long as there is space in the parking lot. Lake Darling allows any size boat, kayak, or canoe to be on the waters, but motorized boats must not exceed a speed of five miles-per-hour.