MUDDY CREEK TWP — Boating enthusiasts from across the region were at Moraine State Park this past weekend to prepare for the boating season on Lake Arthur.

The lake opened to boating on Wednesday, and many people used the warm weather on Saturday to return to the water.

“It's a gorgeous day to put the boat in,” said Marie Novotny of Plum. “Sometimes it's still snowing when we do it.”

Novotny and her husband, John, have been boating at the park for two decades.

“It's the best sailing lake in the area,” John Novotny said.

Rob Murphy of Pittsburgh said the park is a perfect distance from his home.

“The distance is optimal,” he said. “We try to come up two weekends every month.”

Murphy enjoys fishing bass and walleye with his wife, Debbie, and their four sons.

But he said the first weekend at the park is preparing his pontoon boat for the water.

“It's strictly to work on the boat,” he said. “We need to make sure everything is right for the season. It's mostly routine maintenance, but you have to make sure everything starts up.”

Murphy said spending time on the lake is great family time.

“There's no computer access,” he said.

David Leighty of Greensburg said he has been anxiously awaiting this weekend for months.

“It's one of the things I've been thinking about all winter,” he said while preparing his 25-foot sailboat.

Leighty is a longtime member of the Lake Arthur Sailing Club. He has had a passion for boating all his life.

“Instead of playing football, I raced sailboats,” he said, adding he competed in international events in New Jersey as a teenager.

He said he still loves the excitement of sailing fast.

“Anytime someone who started out as a racer is in a boat, they want to make it go as fast as it can go,” he joked.

Park manager Dustin Drew said boating is always a popular attraction in the summer for the park.

Drew said while pontoon boats and sailboats remain popular on the water, kayaks and paddleboards are gaining popularity.

“They're coming on strong,” he said. “They seem to be easier to get these days with the different outlets in the area. It's more accessible.”

Drew said the smaller boats are relaxing and can go anywhere.

“You can get into tighter areas with a kayak,” he said. “Water foul watchers appreciate that they can sneak up quietly.”

Still, Drew said the larger boats have remained a key part of the summers at the park.

He said hundreds of people store their boats at Davis Hollow Marina during the summer. He also noted that the park's Crescent Bay boat rentals are an option for people looking to get out onto the water.

Boat rentals will begin next month.