NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — It’s been a calm Memorial Day on the water, game wardens said.

Yesterday’s storms kept some people off Tennessee waterways for this year’s celebrations. Officials said that the crowd was not as big as expected. For most Tennesseans, Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer.

“Enjoying family and friends and hoping the water will keep us warm,” boater Ryan Grabanski said. “Also, honoring the fallen.”

📧 Have breaking come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts →

Fun, food, family and friends were on most people’s agendas. “We’re having a good old time,” boater Joshua Biggs said. “Family time.”

Also on the water: the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA).

“We are basically talking to folks who are not wearing a life vest, driving erratically or speeding,” Lt. Eric Anderson said.

They mentioned that they’re looking for expired tags, people without life vests and drunk boaters. They were also watching out for debris in the water after the weekend’s storms.

Wardens said that they had eight boating while intoxicated arrests and one fatality across the whole state this weekend.

⏩ Read today’s top stories on wkrn.com

On Old Hickory Lake, officers said that it was quiet.

“This is a good country to live in,” Grabanski said. “Red, white and blue means a lot to us out here. we are thankful for all they do.”

Wardens added that they would be working overnight to make sure everyone has a safe ending to this holiday.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.