What Would Jimmy Buffett Do?

I grew up in the Midwest where it can get very hot and very humid.  Sound familiar?  With summer temps hitting triple digits across the country, the 4th of July promises to be a scorcher.  I remember one such summer when I was about 13 or 14 and I went with my dad to his softball game on the north side of town.  It was sticky and hot, the kind of heat that just drains your energy.  After my dad's game, I could tell he wasn't doing too well.  His face was bright red and his back was soaked.  Seeing his head bob around as he tried to see straight let me know that this was not a good situation.  After a cold shower and lots of fluids, he was able to bounce back.  Like my father, many men like to think they are indestructible and impervious to something as "benign" as heat exhaustion or its evil twin, heat stroke.  All too often, many people make the mistake to think that just because they are out on the water it will be cooler, so they don't have to worry about heat exhaustion/stroke.  Bad move.

In these situations, I might follow Alan Jackson's advice and ask, "What would Jimmy Buffett do?"

Now, drinking a caffeinated or alcoholic beverage is probably not the best idea when trying to ward off heat exhaustion.  However, drinking something cold with electrolytes (Gatorade, Powerade, etc) would definitely do the trick.  As you are getting ready to hit the water this Independence Day, here are some ideas:

• Lot's of cold drinks!  Many coolers on the market will do the trick to keep those drinks icy cold all day long.  Have you heard about the patented ComboKooler from TrophyBagKooler?  If you "like" them on Facebook you can even save 10%!  It does a great job at keeping anything nice and cold.
• Neck bandanas, chilled or frozen.  If you have never used one of these, you are missing out!  This is a great way to stay cool while out in the sun.
• Shade, shade, and more shade!
• Take it nice and easy...remember it's a holiday.  No need to rush!
• Air conditioning is your best friend.  When the sun gets too hot, it may be time to relax inside for a while.

What do you do to stay cool and safe out on the water?  Safashor would love to hear from you.  Shoot us an email at safashor@comcast.net.  Don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all things related to boating and boat safety!