June has been a very busy month," said Captain Gary Haupt with the Missouri Water Patrol.

June, of course, rolls right into the busiest weekend of the year for the Missouri State Water Patrol. With Independence Day falling on a Saturday, "It's like a four-day weekend for people," said Cpt. Haupt.

Jon Doak and his family fall into that camp. They got out on the water on Thursday.

"The whole goal is go have fun and not have an accident," said Doak.

His goal meshes with that of the Water Patrol, which has new rules in place to meet that objective. Chief among them is that the legal blood- alcohol limit for driving a boat or personal water craft dropped from .10 percent to .08 percent.

"It doesn't take three or four beers to be at that legal limit,"said Cpt. Haupt.

The Water Patrol doesn't have any problem with folks having a cooler on the boat. The idea is to keep those reaching for a beer from reaching for the keys next.

"The awareness that it mirrors vehicle laws gives awareness it's a dangerous activity," said Cpt. Haupt.

The new limit went into effect less than a year ago. Just last weekend, the patrol arrested 17 people statewide during sobriety checkpoints; three of the arrests were at Table Rock.

Whether the law makes the waters safer remains to be seen but, for now, those on the water, like James Bacon, say they can feel a difference. "It makes me feel safer. I don't drink on the water, so it makes me feel better people won't be as drunk out there with me," said Bacon.

Water Patrol Officials are also cautioning boaters about safety during the evening hours. Because so many will be on the water after dark for fireworks both Friday and Saturday nights, boaters need to remember to check their vehicle lights before heading out.