A Beaufort County sheriff's deputy patrolling the May River on Independence Day watched as a man driving a boat dropped his pants and mooned some friends.

The deputy stopped the boater, who failed a sobriety test. He was charged with boating under the influence, one of three such arrests Wednesday, according to the Beaufort County Detention Center log.

Aside from the BUIs, county law enforcement, fire officials and water-rescue groups reported relatively smooth sailing over the holiday.

Beaufort Water Search & Rescue spokesman Dick Jennings said more boats were out than he had ever seen on a Fourth of July, but rescuers received no major calls. Some boats stalled, and some swimmers drifted too far from their boats, but no one faced serious danger, Jennings said.

The number of reports of fireworks being set off illegally was typical for July 4, according to law enforcement and fire officials.

On July 3, the Hilton Head Fire & Rescue Division reported that fireworks caused a small brush fire in the dunes behind a house on Singleton Place, but bystanders extinguished the flames before firefighters arrived. There was no damage, division spokeswoman Joheida Fister said.