Boating days offer lots to love, from the water-bound adventures to plentiful activities. You can relish the sun, water, and fresh air. However, a fun boating excursion can quickly turn dangerous when a storm is brewing. Discover what to do if you are boating and get caught in a storm in order to prevent accidents and injuries.

Monitor the Weather Forecast

The weather can change quickly and unexpectedly. Keeping an eye on the weather conditions throughout the day and knowing what to look for can give you plenty of time to get to safety before a storm hits. Here are some storm indicators to look for:

• Dark, puffy clouds
• Darkening skies
• A sudden shift in wind force and direction
• A drop in atmospheric pressure
• Thunder and lightning

Once you notice a storm is inbound, continue to monitor your surroundings and the forecasts to create a plan of action.

Head Back to Shore

If the storm hasn’t hit full throttle yet, head back to your dock, the marina, or boat launch as quickly as possible. Storms can cause rough waters and reduced visibility, making boating hazardous. Electrocution is one of the many dangers when lightning hits the water. Making contact with electrically charged water can send you into cardiac arrest and severely burn your skin.

Navigating your boat toward the nearest harbor gets you out of the danger zone. Remember to maintain a steady speed to prevent capsizing in choppy waters. Once you reach land, secure your boat and seek shelter immediately.

Stay Calm and Anchor the Boat

If you can’t or couldn’t escape the storm and get caught in the middle, stay calm and anchor the boat immediately. Anchoring will stabilize your boat, keep it pointed toward the wind, and prevent it from drifting and colliding with rocks. Make sure the anchor is heavy enough to hold your boat in place.

Suit Up

Wearing a life jacket is an absolute must when boating. Life jackets keep you afloat in case you go overboard, allowing you to conserve energy while swimming back to your watercraft. Life jackets also make you easily identifiable in the water, increasing your visibility to rescuers. Wearing a life jacket is even more critical when you’re navigating rough water during a storm.

Pro Safety Tip: Invest in a brightly colored life jacket fitted with reflectors, an emergency light, and a whistle to make you more noticeable to rescuers.

Contact the Coast Guard

When in doubt, contact the Coast Guard. Notifying the Coast Guard that you are stuck in a storm allows them to send out a professional rescue team. The Coast Guard can also monitor you while you head back to shore or brave the storm, staying at the ready for support.

Boating can be fun and memorable, but it’s crucial to stay prepared for changing weather. Knowing what to do when you’re boating with a storm brewing increases your chances of making it to safety. Make the most out of your boating adventures with these tips!

24World Media does not take any responsibility of the information you see on this page. The content this page contains is from independent third-party content provider. If you have any concerns regarding the content, please free to write us here: contact@24worldmedia.com