Cold Water Sailing

It may seem a leap to Georgian Bay from the frozen wastes of Antarctica, but I was reminded this morning, by an article in the Globe and Mail newspaper, that cold water exposure is no less severe in our northern lakes. Water temperatures in the Great Lakes at this time of year are very low; immersion without exposure suits can result in rapid hypothermia and death. Not a pretty thought.

For Canadians, this weekend is the first long weekend holiday of the summer - celebrated, perhaps in the breech, as Queen Victoria's Birthday, but more simply as the "May 24 Weekend", even if it doesn't fall on that date.

It also marks the first major rush of recreational boaters headed for "big water". As a boating instructor with the Canadian Power & Sail Squadrons, I can reflect on a winter's worth of working with new boaters and hope that my efforts and those of my fellow teachers, result in safe and happy boating on the part of our students.

This weekend also marks the start of National Safe Boating Awareness Week - the date not an accidental (pardon the pun) choice. During the coming week, the Canadian Safe Boating Council is promoting the wearing of life jackets at all times when underway. The media are being supplied with newspaper, radio and television spots, volunteer spokespersons from the CPS and other organizations are appearing on talk shows, marinas are running safety demonstrations, CPS volunteers are offering free boat safety inspections. (see www.cps-ecp.ca)

At my squadron's Boating Course Graduation, the guest speaker will be Ted Rankine, a well-known TV personality and safe boating figure. Ted is currently developing a new website: Cold Water Bootcamp which should be recommended viewing for all boaters sailing in cold water conditions. Just read the "cold facts" on that site before venturing out this weekend.