If you think gas for your car is expensive-- just wait until you hit the water. On average, boaters pay 40 cents more per gallon of gas than drivers. The number of people out on Beaver Lake this weekend is definitely less than normal-- but much of that can probably be blamed on the rainy weather. However, park rangers say gas prices have caused some boaters to change their habits. The Rocky Branch Marina is selling gas for $3.90 a gallon-- and it's known for having the lowest prices on the lake. The marina manager says gas costs more on the water because marinas are more expensive to run than a regular gas station. However, many boaters say the higher price isn't enough to keep them off the water. "We knew going into it that it was going to be high, we have two big vehicles, we pay a lot for driving around so it's just something that goes along with it I guess," said boater Melissa Epler. "We just make sacrifices other places to enjoy the water," said James Hyland, who stopped to fill up at the marina. "We bring friends and family down about every weekend and come out and go out on the water and have a good time. So I don't care what the gas price is, it's not going to keep me from getting out on the water," said Travis Sailsbury. The steep prices have had some effect... Park Ranger Alan Bland says he's noticed boaters adopting more fuel-friendly habits lately. "A lot of people, instead of going out and going all over the lake, now they're going out and finding a quiet cove, anchoring off, and spending the day there BBQ, swimming, fishing, whatever and that way they're not burning gas out on the lake." Bland says boats usually have much less efficient motors with much larger gas tanks-- which can take a huge chunk out of your wallet when you have to fill up.
