The weather is prime for heading up to the lake and hitting the water. But before you do, law enforcement around the lake wants to remind you of safety procedures, and dangers that you need to keep in mind.
From hopping on a jet ski, lounging on the beach or taking the boat out, it can be a lot of fun in the sun. There are some things Nevada Division of Wildlife (NDOW), as well as all the agencies patrolling Tahoe, want you to remember when hitting the water.
"People don't realize that the over-stress and dehydration of just being in the sun can degrade you're response time all by itself, when you add alcohol to that mix it can be pretty dangerous, and you can feel the effects of alcohol almost twice as much as you normally would on land," said Brian Bowles, Game Warden Captain for the State of Nevada.
“If our guys come across you and you have been drinking, and it's .08, the same as on land, if they catch you drunk you are leaving the lake in handcuffs," said Aaron Meier, Boating Education Coordinator NDOW.
But just laying off the libations when you shove off shore isn't enough to keep you safe. These waters are so cold that without a proper life jacket, you can find yourself in some real trouble.
"Cold water shock, your first reaction is to take a big gasp of breath, only problem with that is you are going to be underwater when you take that first gasp of breath and it could be over before it begins,” said Meier.
“I can see how it could happen, you jump in and it's colder than you expect and it takes your breath away. It's something you are not ready for, so it's always good to be prepared, have a life vest on," said Los Angeles Resident John Norton.
In order to make sure everyone has a good time, agencies across the lake have put up these posts with free to use life jackets.
“I'm happy that there's a program like this that makes these available, because if something had gone wrong, it could have gone really wrong,” said Reno Resident Georgette Hartley.
NDOW tells us that 84 percent of drowning's last year happened when people are not wearing their life vests. The hope is to make drowning's in Tahoe a thing of the past.
“It's very beautiful, we want you to get out there and experience everything that Nevada has to offer, but be prepared. Have your equipment, wear it, and just be safe," said Bowles.
