LAKE WYLIE, S.C. — With boat ramps closed across the area due to low lake levels, boaters crowded the few open ramps on Lake Wylie to celebrate Labor Day Monday.
County officials and Duke Energy agreed to close two of the four boat ramps at Buster Boyd access point, but some boaters still expressed safety concerns.
Early Monday, Mahlon Pitt learned he could launch his boat, but the low water made it difficult to get out. He struggled with a stuck trailer before a group of nice Samaritans jumped in the water and lifted his trailer so he could pull it out.
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Pitt described why he believes that ramp should also be closed.
"About 5-6 feet out in the water it drops down about three feet and all of a sudden your trailer drops off into the lake, including fenders and the wheels. There is no way to get it back up," said Pitt.
Many boaters took time to eye which ramp appeared to be safest before launching.
York County law enforcement officers said the drought made it too difficult for many boaters to get on the water, leading to a significant drop of people on the lake compared to what they have seen in the past.
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Other families came to fish and watch others on the lake since they could not launch from their lake homes.
"A lot of people where I live cannot even get their boats off the boat ramps because cables aren't long enough to go down where the water is now,” said Steve Crocker. “Just hoping for rain."
Both county and Duke officials will continue to monitor lake levels to decide whether more should be closed.
In Mecklenburg County, officials have closed all of the ramps at Copperhead Island, four of the six ramps at Blythe Landing on Lake Norman and two of the four ramps at Ramsey Creek Park on Lake Norman.
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