Boaters enjoying lower gas prices on Memorial Day weekend
BAYPORT, Minn. – Memorial Day weekend in Minnesota also means the start of boating season for many.
And as boaters prepare to fill up, they're finding some good news at the pumps – if they can even get to the pumps yet.
"Memorial Day is always kinda the official start to summer, especially for boating season. But it feels a little bit delayed this year because of all the flooding that's happened. We're in the water two or three weeks later than we usually are," said Desmond Clancy of Cottage Grove.
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The Bayport Marina says heading into the busy holiday weekend, they've only been able to get about 75% of their boats on the water. The flooding the St Croix River experienced earlier this spring is still having an impact.
"There was debris on our roadways, it prevented us from launching boats and doing the normal activities that we would do during a typical spring," said Kori Derrick-Cisewski, general manager of Bayport Marina.
The good news is the boaters that are filling up will be seeing cheaper prices at the pump.
"Currently it's $5.29, and we last year ended the season very close to $6. So, you know, for every gallon you're saving close to 70 cents," Derrick-Cisewski said.
And while that might not sound like much, with a boat, those savings can add up quickly.
"It certainly makes a difference, especially with bigger boats. This boat's got a 330-gallon fuel tank, so it costs a lot to fill it up, so any relief we get at the pump is a good thing," Clancy said.
"As everything else has been an inflated price in the recent years, having lower gas prices will definitely allow people to do more travel on the river compared to previous summers," Derrick-Cisewski said. "Last year, people kinda stayed more so on the slip or nearby so they didn't have to burn fuel, whereas this year, I think they can take those longer trips."
A slow-no-wake rule on the St. Croix expired Friday morning. But with flooding debris still in the waters, caution is advised.