LAKE OF THE OZARKS, Mo. — Beginning Friday, May 1 and continuing through Sunday, May 3, crowds rolled across Bagnell Dam for the Magic Dragon Street meet, Central Missouri’s largest car show. On Saturday, May 2, boats took to the water for 18th Annual Spring Harbor Hop. All those cars and boats were full of fuel delivered at a cost lower than any day in 2014, and that’s great news for the 100 days of summer 2015.
From East coast to West and Southwest to Northwest, drivers have seen the gasoline price per gallon cost less and less in 2015. At one point earlier this year, Missourians could buy a gallon of gas for less than $2.00.
Even though the price has slowly headed up again, no one expects it to reach the numbers it did last summer. According to Bruce Kennedy writing for MoneyWatch April 27, 2015, “lower gas prices -- perhaps the lowest in five years -- are expected during the upcoming summer driving season, if the widely-anticipated drop in the cost of crude oil takes place as expected.”
These savings translate to savings on the water as well. Although marine fuel is more expensive, it too is now available at prices lower than a year ago. According to Hi-Way Cove Marina, currents prices are about $1 lower than they were a year ago and $1.50 lower than they were at the end of the summer season last year.
A telephone and water tour of marinas shows that marine fuel prices were as low as $3.019 and as high as $3.39 for the Spring Harbor Hop, an average cost of $3.20 per gallon. Even premium grade marine fuel is available for $3.339.
At an average cost of $3.20 per gallon of marine gas, these lower prices put money in the pockets of tourists and Lake homeowners. Filling up a 32-gallon tank at that average price costs $102.40. Boaters are saving at least $30 with every fill-up when compared to prices in 2014.
That $30 savings will buy more t-shirt souvenirs, more gasoline to explore more waterfront businesses, more auto fuel to travel farther, and perhaps the incentive to stay one more day at the Lake. AAA surveys predict that 60 percent of Americans will take a road trip this summer, thanks to lower gas prices, and some of those Americans will point their cars toward Lake of the Ozarks where current marine fuel gas prices promise more time on the water and plenty of fun.
