SPRING ANGLERS LURED INTO
FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY
Warmer Air Temps Belie the Frigid Waters
Beneath
| As
winter fades into spring, anglers are eager to return to the water. But
while the air above may feel warm, the water below is still cold and
presents spring anglers with the threat of hypothermia. "Even the most seasoned fisherman eventually finds themself in water cold enough to take their breath away," says Chris Edmonston, director of Boating Safety for the BoatU.S. Foundation. "Knowing how to handle the situation could mean the difference between life and death." The Foundation has five tips an angler can do in advance to prepare for an accidental cold water dunking: 1. Wear a life jacket. The single most effective action to save your life is to wear a life jacket designed for anglers. It's estimated that the majority of boating fatalities could have been prevented had the angler been wearing a life jacket. 2. Dress for the water temperature, not for the air temperature. Even the smallest ways to trap heat will give you a survival edge. If it's warm outside, try to wear a shirt with buttons or zippers - which can be opened to keep cool while fishing, and then closed if you do go in. Stay away from single layers like a T-shirt. Also, 50 percent of a person's heat is lost through his head - wear a hat to help slow heat loss. 3. Carry a whistle. While a noisemaking device is required on most boats, wear an attention-getting whistle around your neck or attached to your life jacket. 4. Make every effort to get out of the water. Try to climb on your boat, even if it's capsized. Pull yourself onto a log, a buoy, or anything that will get some of your body out of the water. The more of your body that's in the water, the more heat you will lose. 5. Do not swim. Think twice about
attempting a long swim to safety. Swimming forces warm water from clothing
layers and causes you to expend valuable heat. Simple survival floating
positions may be your better chance of survival. |