These are important words to heed when play boating in cold water. Serious boaters wear wet suits in the water all year round. We never did growing up in the south with summer fun in the water, lakes, rivers, and oceans but now that I have been east, west, and north boating I see the foolishness of my ways. Even in Georgia in the spring the water temperature can be cold enough to induce hypothermia. Ever have your teeth chatter? That’s hyperthermia! Having to walk wet and cold as the sun goes down to retrieve your car after a run on the river can be enough to cause some unpleasant symptoms. If you don’t keep moving trouble is on the way. Do heed this warning from this excerpt about a group boating on Devils Lake recently:

“Even though the air temperatures are summer like, the water temps are still just crawling above freezing.  When you fall into the water cold shock can be instant, cold incapacitation within 2 minutes and hypothermia is not far behind. What’s more, people are not well prepared. What happens if you fall in? Are you actually wearing your life jacket? Do you know how your body reacts to cold water immersion? How will you get to shore?  Do you have warm clothes to change into?  Do you even have access to a dry towel?  As the old cliché’ goes, knowledge is the best piece of safety equipment you can have out there.”

For the whole story go to this link:

http://www.devilslakewisconsin.com/2013/05/17/careful-the-water-is-cold/