The Texas game warden's skiff motors gently among the 200 boats in Canyon Lake's Party Cove.
The boats the officer examines are tied together, forming a giant floating island of colorful speedboats, yachts and dinghies.
Beer-drinkers bob and sway alongside the watercraft on inflated tires and toys, holding up their cans in a salute to the passing law enforcement officers.
Game wardens are looking for BWI, or "boating while intoxicated." Alcohol plays a factor in 1 out of every 3 boating deaths in Texas.
"Sometimes a game warden boat comes up behind them, and they don't even notice. They keep on going," said game warden, Michael McCall.
McCall said the sheer number of people on the lake means he has to make sure guests are obeying the rules of the water.
"We do random safety checks out here for life jackets and fire extinguishers," he added.
It's not long before citations begin flowing, as officers drop the fenders and ride-up alongside a boat from El Paso, Texas. McCall instructs the boat's owner that this is a random safety stop.
Bikini-clad women begin searching under their seats for the items the game warden calls for.
"In situations like this where we don't have enough life jackets I am compelled to issue a citation," said McCall to the boat owner.
Five people and only 4 life jackets on-board the speed boat means a trip back to the marina for these lake-lovers.
Officials say 85 percent of victims who die in boating accidents aren't wearing life jackets.
With Canyon Lake's shoreline packed to capacity and with more than 200 boats floating in the party cove alone, game wardens have a lot to keep their eyes on.
"It's a high concentration of boats, and boats nearby, going at a high rate of speed, it creates a little bit more danger in those areas, especially for boats and swimmers," said McCall.
Officers said fines for BWI are just as steep and the penalties just as severe as anyone caught drinking and driving behind the wheel of a car.
