With temperatures forecasted to be in the 90-degree range, this year’s Jobbie Nooner is expected to be hotter than recent years.

The 51st annual Jobbie Nooner will be held Friday on a sandbar known as Gull Island in St. Clair County’s portion of Lake St. Clair.

And because the unsanctioned boat party — one of the largest of its kind in the country — is known for heavy drinking, nudity, and rowdy behavior, there will be a big police presence on the water.

“For us, we’ll be supplying the standard amount of manpower along with additional units scheduled to make sure we have adequate coverage,” Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham.

Macomb County Sheriff’s Marine Division patrol boats will be among the approximate three dozen water assets traveling to Jobbie Nooner from both sides of the U.S. and Canadian border.

Macomb’s deputies will be assisting the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office, Clay Township police, and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. Also part of the safety patrol team will be members of Chesterfield Township police, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Department of Natural Resources, Michigan State Police and Canada’s Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

In neighboring St. Clair County, Sheriff Mat King says there will be increased patrols as well as collaborative efforts with area departments to keep the waters safe.

“Behave responsibly. Know who you are going out with, do not separate from your group, drink plenty of water, and watch the weather,” the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday.

Law enforcers said water levels are down this year and warn boaters to be “extra vigilant” of water hazards. Cuts that have been used in past years around the lake may be now impassable for some vessels due to low water levels.

Boaters should also take extra care and caution when walking in the water. Anchors, anchor lines, and debris in the water are all things that could cause injury.

Hundreds of boaters and their passengers will launch their vessels from a variety of marinas and public access sites including those in St. Clair Shores, Harrison and Chesterfield townships , Fair Haven and Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

The nautical event dates back to June 28, 1974. It’s on this last Friday in June that a couple autoworkers (aka jobbies) played hooky from work so they could spend a day on the lake.

It’s been a skip day on the calendar ever since.

Last year’s turnout was estimated to be about 500 boats, the Macomb Sheriff’s Office said. That was likely due to cooler-than-normal temperatures and overcast skies for most of the day, which impacted attendance.

Meteorologists with the National Weather Service forecast temperatures in the 90-degree range with a 70% chance of a shower or thunderstorms.

Weather is a key factor in the success of Jobbie Nooner but fuel prices could also impact boaters experiencing higher prices. Fuel prices on Lake St. Clair vary by location and type of fuel, but you can generally expect to pay around $5.29-$5.59 for no-ethanol 90 octane and $3.39-$4.99 for regular gas at marinas.

Besides having enough gas to get there and back, safety officers urge Jobbie attendees to make sure their vessels are in good working condition and have a means of communication in case something does go wrong.

Boaters should also know about the hazards in the lake, including sandbars and rocks, officials say. Passengers also need to know their boat, color, numbers, flags or anything that might identify it, in case they got lost.

Safety tips

In June 2024, three Macomb County residents were injured after being involved in a crash between two jet skis including one driver who was returning from the boat party just outside of local waters in St. Clair County near Muskamoot By\ay.

In addition to the crash, there was one water rescue, a few medical incidents and approximately six boat accidents.

Other safety tips:

• Check the boat to make sure you have flotation devices for everyone aboard

• Do not drink and boat. The legal limit on a boat is the same as a vehicle on the road, .08

• Check your navigational lights to make sure they are working properly

• Have a time when you plan to return and share that information with friends or family members who might not be going

• Know your location at all times and secure a cell phone or marine radio on the boat in the event of an emergency

Reporting rules

Earlier this week, the U.S. Border Patrol issued a news release to remind boaters to follow reporting requirement to avoid serious consequences for failure to report their arrival to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Operators of small pleasure vessels arriving from a foreign port or place, to include any vessel which has visited a hovering vessel or received merchandise outside territorial waters, are required to report their arrival to CBP immediately upon landing in the U.S., officials said.

Failing to report to CBP can lead to significant penalties, including fines, seizure, and even imprisonment.

“If you do not follow the reporting requirements and enter the United States illegally, you will be prosecuted, and your vessel will be seized,” said U.S. Border Patrol Detroit Sector Chief Patrol Agent John R. Morris.

Boaters looking for an innovative, faster way to report their arrival may use the CBP ROAM™ mobile application, available for free from the Apple App and Google Play stores.

The app allows pleasure boaters to report their U.S. entry to CBP via their personal smart device or a tablet and qualifies as an Alternative Inspection System that satisfies the boat operator’s legal requirement to report for face-to-face inspection in accordance with 8 CFR 235.1.

Exceptions include:

• Travelers who require an I-94 form.

• Travelers who must pay duties on imported goods;

• Other circumstances as applicable.

Boaters may also continue to report their arrival to the CBP office nearest to your point of entry via telephone.