RICHMOND, Va. -- Richmonders packed Pony Pasture along the James River for some fun on the water on the Fourth of July.
Margaret Doyle said she jumped on her scooter, blew up her inner tube and made her way to the James River park.
“People are having great little parties, you know, floating around and everything," she said. "It's like the most harmless thing you can do.”
The fun can be harmless as long as she keeps safety in mind.
“Just know that there are rapids and there are there's a lot of little secrets going on in the river and you want to really respect that,” Doyle warned.
Patrick Griffin With RVA Paddlesports says this will be one of the busiest weekends of the year.
“It’s a lot of fun, but there's certainly some precautions that people should take,” he said.
People not as familiar with the river should probably avoid rapids.
“Even at lower water levels, those can have very swift currents and the bottom of the river has an uneven surface with a lot of rocks,” Griffin explained. “We want people to be aware of the hazard of a foot entrapment, which is if they try to stand up in that moving water, their foot could get caught in the current pushing them down.”
Local emergency agencies have a coordinated rescue response plan in place during peak hours for when they get troubling calls.
Additionally, city crews have added more safety signage in the aftermath of recent drownings.
Griffin said river conditions right now are a little lower than usual, so it'll take tubers longer to make it down the water.
"If you're venturing out on a tubing trip, say from Pony Pasture to Reedy Creek, it's going to be about a six-hour endeavor," Griffin said.
But his biggest concern is heat exposure.
“Want to make sure that you're protecting your skin from the sun, whether that be sunscreen or even a long sleeve shirt,” Griffin said.
Today's Forecast
Heat advisory in effect for Saturday
Excessive heat warnings are in effect through 8 p.m. Friday as the heat index could approach 110° or a bit higher.
Griffin said with high temperatures forecast throughout the weekend, bring your water to stay hydrated if you’re hitting the water.
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