MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — It's the calm before the storm.
Labor Day is here, and many Central Georgians are feeling the pier pressure to get in their boats and on the water for the long weekend.
"It's packed," said Anthony Sams. "Boats are everywhere. It's real congested."
Fishing since early morning, Sams – a Baldwin County native- says he knows the wild waters of a holiday weekend.
"Everybody doing their thing. They're partying, skiing, the whole nine yards," he laughed.
Sams says he wants his Labor Day weekend a little quieter.
"I try to dodge it. That's why I'm out today," Sams explained. "I won't be out tomorrow."
However, some welcome the noise.
"The river, the water, the lake, the riding. That's about it," says Tyreice Johnson. He just moved to the Baldwin County area. He says it's his first Labor Day weekend on the lake in four years.
It was crowded," he remembered. "You had to swerve in and out of people all day long."
However, he says he has simple wants for his Labor Day weekend.
"Grilling, eating, just enjoying the day on the lake, enjoying the weekend with some good people, and that's pretty much it."
Three girls under the age of eight in the Gay family are here for Labor Day.
"We go swimming," said five-year-old Hayden. "I like sitting in the front and feeling the breeze."
"We're gonna spend two more nights, and we're gonna get ice cream," said Hayden's seven-year-old sister, Riylnn.
Their love for Labor Day is even simpler. They get to have ice cream at noon on a Friday.
"So, we were supposed to go to school today," said Rilynn. "School was canceled because of the weather, and we're super happy that school is canceled."
It's just as sweet as time with family.
"We like to go on boat rides and to swim, and we like to spend time with our parents and family because we don't really see them that often at school," Riylnn said.
The Little River Park Campground owners say they have 139 slots, and they are fully booked up for the holiday.