Lowcountry eclipse watch: Looking for a good place to see the eclipse? Grab a boat

Monday’s eclipse will draw the attention of throngs of people in the Palmetto State, and not all of them are landlubbers.

South Carolina’s lakes, rivers, and coast will have plenty of traffic from more nautically minded folks looking for a good vantage point for the celestial event.

Boats are being rented and eclipse cruises booked. Crowds on the water are likely to be less intense than crowds on land, the Post and Courier reports, but boater Perry Vernon is planning to spend Sunday night on the water to avoid heavy traffic on waters Monday.

"This is such a rare event," Vernon told the Post and Courier. "This is going to be like Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day all wrapped into one."

In addition to dealing with crowds, it is also imperative to keep safety in mind.

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources instructs those planning to watch from the water to wear life jackets, turn on boat lights as the sun fades, and to not wear eclipse glasses while driving the boat. Rather, anchor the vessel before putting on your glasses and looking at the sun, the Post and Courier reports.

SCDNR officers will be out in force on waters around the state on Monday, reports the Post and Courier. Nearly all of their officers will be deployed, and there will be additional boats and patrols. Their presence will be strongest on Charleston Harbor and freshwater lakes according to an SCDNR statement.

This story was originally published August 19, 2017 at 3:23 PM with the headline "Lowcountry eclipse watch: Looking for a good place to see the eclipse? Grab a boat."