March 2, 2006
Stupid Is As Stupid Does When You Fall Into Cold Water
Let’s not sugarcoat the phrase that “stupid is as stupid does”.
We all do dumb things.
Most dumb things are forgettable and some are quite laughable. Other dumb and stupid things are subject to a diversity of opinions. Many are harmless and some are deadly.
Every March, a relatively small number of anglers and boat anglers emerge from their homes and workplaces to think about when that new boating season will commence. For many, it may have been six months since their brain was last in that boating frame of mind. For others, boating preparedness comes as second nature.
Through it all, state watercraft officers, local marine patrol officers and some casual observers simply marvel at the brazen attitude most anglers and boat anglers display when out on the waterways of late winter and early spring. What is this brazen attitude? It’s foolish fearlessness of perceived immortality.
“I will not fall into the water.”
“My boat will not capsize.”
“My waders will not fill with water.”
“I will not die today.”
Think this is harsh?
Observe the many anglers and boaters, who on a 50, 60 or even 70-degree day in March or April are wearing denim jeans, t-shirts, sneakers and their ball caps. They fish from their boats literally inches from death’s grasp, and that death chamber is known as critically cold waters. On average, March water temperatures in Ohio for most waterways are in the 30s and very gradually moving into the 40s.
When a person who is unprotected and not prepared for a cold water immersion falls into these frigid waters, they are immediately subjected to cold water shock, which can lead to drowning and death within a few minutes. Many boaters and anglers unfortunately are not prepared for such incidents because they fail to wear protective clothing and more importantly they often fail to properly wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
This web site contains many boating safety tips and special precautions for boating and fishing anytime of the year. Read them, study them, know them and practice them well. Take a boater education course.
The Division of Watercraft makes a special effort this time of year to increase public awareness and alertness to the hazards of boating during the early season. This campaign is known as Operation Overboard, which shares a special message about wearing life jackets, properly loading your boat with people and gear, avoiding capsizings and swampings, and learning to enjoy boating safely and responsibly.
|