Welcome to Meteorological winter - for those of you unsure what it is, our year is divided into 4 meteorological periods each of 3 months duration. These seasons are split to coincide with our Gregorian calendar, making it easier for meteorological observing and forecasting to compare seasonal and monthly statistics. Winter starts Dec 01 and finishes at the end of February.
Many of you will be taking your boats out of the water at this time of year for her maintenance period despite the weather being cold, wet and miserable and very short days. I'm an advocate of waiting till Easter when the weather is usually a little kinder and the days are longer giving you more time to work on your pride and joy. For those of you that keep your vessel in the water, and enjoy those days when the sun shines and there is enough wind to get those sails unfurled, a few things to consider.
Delving into the realm of cold and wet conditions, let's explore hypothermia - an overview for some, an informative guide for others. Hypothermia arises from prolonged exposure to chilly temperatures. As the body confronts cold surroundings, heat loss outpaces production, depleting stored energy and causing a drop in body temperature.
The repercussions of a lowered body temperature extend to the brain, impairing clear thinking and physical movement. For those on the helm and responsible for collision avoidance, the risk intensifies. What makes hypothermia particularly perilous is its insidious onset - victims may be oblivious to its progression, rendering them powerless to intervene.
Consider navigating afloat amidst spray, wind chill, and limited intake of food and fluids. Are you susceptible?
Preventing Hypothermia While Afloat
Even brief exposure to cold weather can be hazardous without adequate preparation. Shivering and a sense of cold or numbness act as warning signals for excessive heat loss. Safeguard against hypothermia with these straightforward measures:
Buddy System for Safety
When afloat, or indeed when taking part in any outdoor activities with a potential hypothermia risk, consider using the ‘buddy system.' Regularly check each other for warning signs, as self-awareness may diminish due to mental confusion. If you are unsure how to fix it, consider a first aid course with a bias towards the aquatic environment, look here for dates.
Other things to consider at this time of year in addition to the usual boat winterisation stuff are trips with a camera and trips with a purpose. This is a great time of year to venture out for your first dusk/night passage without waiting a long time for the sun to go down. Consider a late lunch somewhere not too far away from your home base be back on the water about 30 mins before the sun sets and an amble back to home base. Make sure your passage plan is detailed for a night passage and think about other issues you might have along the way. Do the “what if scenarios”, and should a problem occur, you will have at least thought about it and be able to manage it with ease. One of the things I ask students to do is try to find pinnacles using a compass and echo sounder (no chart plotter), it’s a great way of honing your navigation skills. What ever you are up to or planning, have a great month.
Oh and don’t forget - if you are out on the 24th/25 December - keep a good look out and at all costs avoid the reindeer poo, it makes such a mess.
