Beaches, Campgrounds To Be Jammed Over July 4th Holiday Period

MADISON, CT - The recent hot spell has seen beach attendance at state parks, including Hammonasset in Madison, skyrocket. And since there is no forecasted let up in the hot weather through the July 4th period and beyond the beach attendance is expected to remain high.

Over the past weekend, state officials said 10 inland parks reach max parking capacity. None of the four shoreline parks reached parking capacity over the weekend, even though they were crowed.

All of the campgrounds are fully booked for this coming July 4th period as well.

Overall state officials claim that they are finding Passport to Parks to be a positive experience, resulting in reduced wait times and traffic backups getting into the parks.

Passport to Parks allow in state residents to park free at the parks. The money for the program comes from an increase in driver registration fees paid during the renewal period. Out of state residents must pay a fee to get into the parks.

State officials state that they expect Connecticut state parks to remain busy throughout the long holiday week. Park visitors are urged to follow some basic safety recommendations, in particular with the hot weather when at the parks.

Safe Swimming

DEEP offers 23 designated state park swim areas – four on Long Island Sound and 19 inland lakes and ponds. Check the status of swimming areas at www.ct.gov/deep/beachstatus

• Follow All Posted Beach Rules
• Parents - Watch your Children It only takes seconds for a child to drown, and this can occur silently. Please ALWAYS watch your children; if you are more than an arm’s length away, you’re too far!
• Be Aware of Underwater Hazards Natural swimming areas can have sudden drop-offs, inshore holes, large rocks or tree roots that can’t be easily seen from the surface. Diving and jumping into these waters can be hazardous. Please be careful of these unseen dangers.
• Swim only in the designated areas, and stay where the lifeguards can see you
• Take a Swimming Lesson Increasing your water safety knowledge and swimming skills can help save your life. People of all ages should consider signing up for a swimming class offered at your local YMCA branch, American Red Cross Chapter, or municipal parks & recreation department.
• Drink Responsibly Excessive alcohol consumption impairs judgment and reaction ability. Even prescription drugs may impair judgment.

State Parks

With the launch of the Passport to Parks program, day use parking fees have now been waived for vehicles with Connecticut registrations. With the hot weather expected for this weekend some parks will become full to capacity early in the day. Updated park closures will be posted on Facebook and on Twitter. If the park you intend on visiting becomes full, you can visit one of the 107 Connecticut State Parks that are presently open. Reminder that Sleeping Giant State Park in Hamden, Wharton Brook State Park in Wallingford and the Windsor Locks Canal Trail State Park in Windsor Locks are all closed at this time. For a complete list of parks visit ct.gov/deep/stateparks.

It is important to note that shoreline parks may not have shaded areas. With the high temperatures expected for the next several day visitors should keep this in mind when deciding what park to visit.

Park visitors are also urged to help keep Connecticut State Parks clean by taking home all their trash, and following the backpacker’s ethos of leave only footprints and take only memories.

Safe Boating

When it comes to boating, Connecticut offers it all - streams, rivers, lakes and Long Island Sound, which offer a wide variety of opportunities for boaters. DEEP offers the following safety tips for those going out on the water. Visit: www.ct.gov/deep/boating

• Take a safe boating class A boating certificate is required to operate a registered boat.
• File a float plan Complete your pre-safety boat check, and be sure to file a float plan with a friend or family member.
• Paddle with a friend You will have help to get back in your boat or call for help if needed.
• Obtain a free Vessel Safety Check Contact the DEEP Boating Division or your local USCG Auxiliary and US Power Squadron. If you use a state boat launch, look for our Boating Education Assistants who will perform a free safety check.
• Attach an “IF FOUND” sticker to your unregistered boat Write the boat owner's contact information on the sticker and affix to the boat. This contact information can help rescuers locate you faster in an emergency.
• Wear Your Life Jacket Life jackets are more comfortable and lightweight than ever. Putting one on before heading out could save your life, so “Wear It Connecticut!” In our cooler Northeast waters, someone that falls in the water can lose their ability to perform necessary life-saving functions quite quickly. Falling into colder waters also invokes an involuntary gasp reflex – a number one cause of drowning. Additionally, attach a whistle to your life jacket. The sound of a whistle will travel farther than your voice and attract attention. A sound producing device is also required onboard all vessels.
• Watch out for those in the water When waterskiing/tubing, shut the engine off when putting someone in the water, switching out equipment or retrieving the person. Always approach the person in the water from the operator’s side. Make sure there is a spotter, at least twelve years of age, who understands the importance of their job to watch the skier/tuber at all times and communicate immediately to the operator if the person falls off or signals they want to stop.
• Drink responsibly Alcohol was a contributing factor for 46% of the victims that died in Connecticut boating accidents between 2008 and 2017. Sun, wind, noise, vibration, and motion are all considered "stressors" common to the boating environment. They intensify the effects of alcohol, drugs, and some medications by causing fatigue, which greatly reduces a boat operator's coordination, judgment, and reaction time. The use of alcohol also makes the body more susceptible to the effects of cold water.
• State Boat Launches Some boat launches will become filled to capacity, follow the DEEP Boating Division on Twitter for the latest updates.

Photo by Jack Kramer