Aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City prepare to lower the basket to retrieve two stranded hunters, Dec. 15, 2020 near Brigantine. The hunters had lost their vessel while hunting and were unable to be reached by boat. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Roberto Ochoa)
PHILADELPHIA — As temperatures drop along the mid-Atlantic coast, the Coast Guard urges all boaters to prepare for the water temperature, rather than the air temperature.
Hypothermia occurs as your body temperature falls below 95 degrees Fahrenheit. The average water temp along the mid-Atlantic during the winter months is 53 degrees Fahrenheit, which can cause unconsciousness in about an hour with an estimated survivability between one and six hours.
A Coast Guard spokesperson recommends:
- Dress for the water, not the weather. Warmer days during late fall, winter, and spring can deceive boaters into thinking that the water temperature is warm, just because the air may be. Water temperatures at 70 degrees or below can cause hypothermia.
- Check the water temperatures, if they are anywhere near 70 degrees, wear a wetsuit, drysuit, float coat or some sort of waterproof, insulated gear.
- Roughly 20% of people who fall into cold water die within the first minute due to cold-water shock. Cold-water shock causes an involuntary gasp and an immediate loss in breath control, which increases the risk of sudden drowning.
- Wearing a life jacket can keep you afloat, and can make you more visible. Even the strongest swimmers lose muscle control after 10 minutes of being exposed to cold water, making it nearly impossible to locate and put on a life jacket after-the-fact. Sportsmen who fish or hunt during this time of year should be aware that the warmth of waders is not a replacement for the buoyancy of life jackets. For a video PSA on this topic, click here.
- File a float plan. Letting people know when and where you are going, and when you are expected to be back, exponentially increases the odds of being rescued if something unfortunate happens. You can create a float plan quickly and easily on the U.S. Coast Guard’s official app for smartphones.
Video by Petty Officer 1st Class Stephen Lehmann U.S. Coast Guard District 5/Coast Guard operations happen year round, in all manner of weather, with the core mission of saving, preserving human life at the forefront. The latter months chill not only the air but the water as well, increasing the threat posed by hypothermia. The Coast Guard urges all mariners, professional or recreational, to check the water temperature before heading out and preparing accordingly. U.S. Coast Guard video.
