As the Fourth of July approaches, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office is encouraging citizens to obey the rules of the water during the holiday.
On Monday Palm Beach County issued an order 2020-013 effective 12:01 a.m. on Friday, July 3, 2020 until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, July 5, 2020. The order states that all public, municipal, and private beaches, including all beach parks, in Palm Beach County shall be closed during that time frame.
However, marines, boat docks, and boat ramps will remain open, and boating and water activities will still be allowed with restrictions.
According to the county guidelines, all watercrafts such as center console boats must be at least 50 feet apart from one another. Tying boats and other water crafts together is prohibited as well. That includes kayaks, canoes, and paddle boards.
Lt. Vince Spierto with PBSO’s Marine Unit. stated, “We’re trying to keep everyone apart as much as we can,” said Lt. Spierto. “We’re on your side. We want you to have a great time. We want you to obey all the rules though.”
The county has also set passenger limitations which include:
- Boats 25 feet or less: 4 adult passengers maximum, plus children 17 and under. Maximum of 6 people on the boat
- Boats 26 feet – 36 feet: 6 adult passengers maximum, plus children 17 and under. Maximum of 8 people on the boat
- Boats 37 feet – 60 feet: 8 adult passengers maximum, plus children 17 and under. Maximum of 10 people on the boat
- Boats over 60 feet: 10 passengers maximum, not including crew members
The sheriff’s office mentioned that anyone who violates the social distancing rules on the water could face fines, and in the most serious cases, an arrest and the seizure of your watercraft.
For a full list of Fourth of July of boating rules in Palm Beach County, click here.