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Cool
Runnings (19-1) by Dusty
Miller
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 I
have spent most of my life boating, and this is the
time of year where I can't wait to get back on the water
in the spring. To most of us, boating is a lifestyle,
not just a hobby. We sit and dream about what repairs
and alterations we are going to make or what new, warm
destination we are going to cruise to while shoveling
the January snow.
The severity of winter determines how fast the ice thaws
and when the marinas will start the re-launching boats
for anxious mariners. In this part of the country, it's
approximately mid-April when the ice is thawed, a hint
of a warm air blows in from the south and boaters make
their way down to the marina to go boating after a six-month
hiatus.
It's also this time of year when the water is ice cold.
However, what many do not understand is how cold it
really is. Taking caution during this time of year is
imperative.
My first encounter with icy, cold water was when I was
a young boy walking across the frozen water between
two islands in the Kawarthas. Needless to say, I fell
through the ice and let me tell you, the initial shock
literally takes your breath away. First you feel a stinging
sensation and before you know it, your strength diminishes
and you start to panic about not being able to make
it out. Fortunately, at that point, I was pulled out.
To this day, my fingers and toes remind me of this experience
when I spend too much time in the cold. Is there something
to learn from this story? If you're spending a lot time
around the water's edge, whether repairing a broken
dock or your boat house in the colder months, never
trust the ice, especially in the spring.
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(Read full article in the magazine.) (Page
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