Watch it by the water

I was just about ready to start an online retaliation campaign against my mainland friends who have been relentlessly complaining of the bloody “heat wave.” Social networking sites were flooded daily with people groaning of sweaty body parts and melting pets while we on the rock still had the thermostat up. I have absolutely no sympathy for my colleagues in Montreal and Toronto who couldn’t face another sunny day while I carried tights in my purse for fear of freezing after the sun set (assuming we had any sun at all.) Good lord. I was begging summer to arrive, I stopped wearing socks, sundresses came out prematurely in anticipation of something even resembling July...which seems to have thankfully checked in.

Though, now the media is constantly running silly beat the heat stories where anchors request cooler temperatures from weathermen and women (as if they have anything to do with it.) Dealing with the weather is as universal as complaining about it and the most obvious solution is by no means in short supply here. Water. When it gets hot we mammals seek out the H2O. Biology demands it and let’s be honest, it’s just plain awesome! Who doesn’t love a dip when the sun is blasting? I’ve been known to sit in an inflatable children’s pool when temperatures hit the thirties. Desperate times and a fair complexion require vigilance though at times even the most responsible people become careless in the summer heat. All forms of water sports are practised throughout the province and sometimes safety is neglected as participants overdose on vitamin D.

Swimming is very well the most popular summer activity and cooling strategy. A lack of supervised swimming areas in rural Newfoundland can sometimes make this enjoyable pastime rather dangerous. There are few swimming areas on the Northern Peninsula with certified lifeguards and the few we have are hundreds of kilometres from a vast number of peninsula residents. This in no way discourages children and adults alike from seeking out alternative swimming spots. Ponds, lakes and even pits fill the swimming void a lack of clean beaches and pools have left in the region. It is important to be wary of such unsupervised areas, to have some form of supervision for children and an examination of potential danger done prior to entering the swimming hole. That is not to say that people should not be permitted to swim but only that the utmost care should be taken to ensure these areas are safe.

Boating is also a widely anticipated aspect of warmer temperatures though a lack of boating experience and proper life-saving equipment can lead to tragedy. People with little experience operating a boat may do so without proper instruction due to a desire to get on the water and enjoy the short summer. Lifejackets are not always worn for any number reasons and is often responsible for loss of life.

Though, the most prevalent and foolish factor impacting enjoying water during the summer months involves the illogical combination of water-sport and alcohol. Excessive drinking in and around water undeniably increases your chances of drowning. And believe me I’m not suggesting a cold beer is not in itself a means of dealing with the heat but getting drunk on a boat while not wearing a life jacket is really rather reckless. It’s Danger Boating! This is not to be outdone by Danger Swimming which involves the same amount of booze and a dip in the pit.

Very few people set out to be reckless in this manner, it is never anyone’s intention to put themselves or others in harm’s way. These things just happen which is why it is important to be aware and prepared. Keep you and your loved ones cool and safe this summer by keeping summer pleasures separate. Enjoy the water first, celebrate with a nip second.