This is a time of year many have been anxiously waiting on.
Temperatures are trying to warm and thoughts of being outside are on the rise.
The water is calling.
Spring officially begins at 5:01 Thursday (March 20) morning.
But with the anticipation of more enjoyable weather can bring with it some serious problems.
So excited about leaving winter behind are some folks that they forget to pay attention and keep caution at the forefront.
That’s why, several years ago, the National Weather Service and the U.S. Coast Guard started the Cold Water Program to keep water-minded folks thinking about the things that can happen this time of year.
Among the biggest of reasons for the increased attention is the rapid growth of kayak and paddle board enthusiasm.
High on the two agency’s list is accidentally falling into water that’s a whole lot colder than the air.
As of Monday, water temperatures in the Chesapeake Bay and along the mid-Atlantic coast hadn’t yet gotten into the 50s.
That means just a little time in the wet can bring on stages of hypothermia.
“The water is dangerous right now,” said Jeff Orrock, lead meteorologist at the NWS’s Wakefield office. “And a lot of people don’t think about it and these (crafts) are easy to fall off of.
“It’s warm, the sun is out and they’re going to jump on the kayak.”
Even the basic start to hypothermia can cause problems – like feeling really cold at first, then not feeling anything at all.
Next up is an almost intoxicating feeling where the body just doesn’t want to respond to the brain’s commands.
“People can feel a little drunky,” Orrock said. “You can start loosing motor skills and your body isn’t responding.”
At that point, the picture can get pretty ugly.
Some struck by hypothermia end up dying – unfortunately some even before the condition sets in.
Orrock said the tendency when one falls into extremely cold water is to gasp for air. But when you’re in the water, air isn’t going to be air.
“Some folks drown before they ever get hypothermia,” Orrock said.
Serious kayakers and paddle boarders who want to be on the water this time of year tend to spend the money to get quality dry suits that will greatly lengthen the amount of time they can spend in the water before they start to have problems.
And like everything else, there are safer times ahead.
Orrock said those in our region should be out of the real danger zone in May – just when during that month depending on how warm it starts getting.
Until then, safety and caution are a must. You want to have a good time, right?To read more of my work, go to: leetolliveroutdoors.com
