The ice is finally gone but the cold water is still with us and will be for quite some time. In the spring, the air may be warm but the water is still very cold. We tend to ignore the water temperature on a nice warm day, but warm weather does not cancel out the potential dangers of cold water. The risk of falling into the water or capsizing a boat, canoe, or kayak may be small, but the consequences could be fatal. Did you know that more than 50% of accidental drownings due to boating accidents occur in cold water?

If you have the misfortune of falling into cold water, several things will occur. You will probably involuntarily gasp for air—not a huge problem if your head is above water, but your head more than likely will be under, at least momentarily. Potentially fatal, this is called "cold water shock" and can be prevented in most cases by wearing a life jacket. You can try quickly placing a hand over your mouth as you fall in,º but I'd prefer to rely on my life jacket to keep my head above water.

Another thing that will occur is a rapid loss of body heat. Our bodies love 98.6º and don't do well if we're off by even just a couple of degrees—on either side. Since water cools the body 25 times faster than air, it won't take long (minutes or even seconds) for you to begin to lose the ability to function—after about 5-10 minutes in 50º water, you'll lose the ability to use your hands—which may be necessary to grab something to pull yourself to safety. Swimming or thrashing around will only increase the rate of body heat loss. If you are very close (less than 100 yards) from shore, you might want to swim for it and hope you make it, but if you are far off-shore, you are better to remain as still as possible and wait for help. Since we lose around 40% of our heat from above the collarbones, it's worth it to wear a warm hat.

Your heart rate and blood pressure will also dramatically increase, thereby increasing your chances of cardiac arrest. And, as is the case with so many other things, alcohol will only make things worse.

There. Have we scared you to death? Hopefully not. Being on the water in the spring can be a joy. There are fewer people out there and you can feel like you have the whole lake to yourself. Nature is beginning to show its spring colors, and it is truly beautiful—as any boater knows who has traveled this time of the year. We just want you to be aware of some potential dangers and things you can do to prevent becoming another statistic.

• Wear a life jacket for floatation and insulation.
• Wear a warm hat.
• Remain as still as possible unless you are very close to shore.
• Don't go out boating alone.
• Tell someone where you are going and when you plan to return.
• Keep a set of warm dry clothes with you in a waterproof bag.
• And enjoy the beauty of spring.

Ken Bruland is owner/operator of the Inland Seas School of Kayaking on Beaver Island, Michigan.
This story first appeared in the Beacon, May 2005.