Many New Jerseyans are probably thinking about taking out on their boats heading into the weekend, especially with the holiday weekend approaching, and state police are ready to make sure everyone is safe.

According to the New Jersey State Police Marine Services Bureau, they have seen an uptick in boating activity this year. 

The turn in weather happened to line up perfectly with the state’s lifting of restrictions, and that's made it crowded out on the water. 

Notable incidents have already been seen locally over the last few days, including a boat fire, a rescue from a sinking vessel, and a fishing excursion interrupted by a whale. 

There have been more fatalities on the water than last year's entire boating season – five compared to four.

In four out of those five cases, life jackets were not worn.

The weather played a factor in one death. A person was killed a few weeks ago when a storm quickly rolled in, and he was lost for days from his rowboat. The victim’s body was discovered on Island Beach State Park.

"Be prepared before you leave the dock,” says Sgt. Tom DiStefano. “You want to check your life jackets, check your fire extinguishers…Another important thing to check is the weather report.”