Many Central Texans who had Friday off or at least left work early got a jump start on the July 4th holiday festivities.

If those same folks were heading to Lake Travis with a boat, they'd need to leave early. Water lovers had to wait to launch boats at the only public boat ramp still open on Lake Travis.

All day on Friday, scores of boaters waited patiently, some for more than 45-minutes, in a line at Mansfield Park for people hoping to put their boats into the water.

Most boaters told KVUE they understood the plight of the lake and thought the wait was worth it.

Across town at Zilker Park, another line was forming, this one at Barton Springs Pool. An impressive line snaked around the building at buildings at Barton Springs Pool as people waited, some for 30 minutes, to take a dip into the chilly 68-degree pool.

Across town at Lake Travis, lake businesses lit up the night sky with a fireworks show at Carlos & Charlie's.

Business owners estimate between three and four thousand people showed up for the show, not counting the dozens of people who watched the show from their boats.