Tag Archives: swimming

Warmer weather brings cold water safety to the forefront

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Recreation, Sports, , ,

By Deana Jerdee
Paddler Antrim

Paddler safety is of the upmost importance at Paddle Antrim. Northern Michigan is expected to see air temperatures in the range of 70 degrees this week but the water is still extremely cold. During this strange time of social distancing, many are relying on nature for entertainment which means paddlers are likely itching to get out on the water. Now more than ever it is important to keep in mind the danger of cold water.

While the air may feel more like summer, the many lakes are much cooler, some only 40-60 degrees. At these temperatures a wetsuit or a full immersion dry suit with insulating layers is necessary. Sudden immersion in cold water can cause gasping and inhalation of water and hypothermia, resulting in unconsciousness or swimming failure as muscles become numb. Wearing a life jacket may keep your head above water and support your body should your swimming ability fail or you become unconscious. Paddle Antrim wants everyone to know the risks of cold water. If you don’t have the right equipment to take the necessary precautions, please stay off the water until it warms.

“We encourage people to get out and enjoy the water but we also want to make sure people are safe at all times,” says Paddle Antrim Executive Director, Deana Jerdee. “While the air might be 70 degrees the water is still very cold, ensuring that you are taking the right precautions could save your life.”

Cold water claims of lives of many experienced and inexperienced paddlers each year. Please take the extra precautions to ensure your safety. Here are the steps paddlers need to take before heading out on the water for any period of time:

  • Always wear a properly fitted life jacket. Simply stated, life jackets save lives;
  • Dress for the water temperature;
  • Avoid boating alone and always let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return. Have a cell phone or VHF radio accessible, in a watertight bag, should you need to call for help;
  • Carry essential safety gear, signaling devices and whistles; and
  • Refrain from using alcohol.

The link below is a cold water safety PSA featuring Paddle Antrim Executive Director, Deana Jerdee.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBgMgG4bWGI&feature=emb_title

What’s in the (pool) water?

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Education, Health, How-To's, Kids Activities, Recreation, , , , ,

Take precautions before and after entering the pool to stay healthy. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Susan Hollman Krieger, Spectrum Health Beat

 

You know that sign at the entryway of your local pool that asks you to shower before entering the water? Do it.

 

And then make sure to shower again after you are done swimming for the day. You may be saving yourself and other swimmers a miserable summertime bout of diarrhea.

 

Numerous news outlets have published stories about a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report revealing an increase in the number of pool swimmers impacted by chlorine-resistant pathogen cryptosporidium, a parasite that can cause intestinal disorders, such as diarrhea.

 

According to the CDC, although both E. coli and norovirus are eliminated by chlorine and other chemicals used in pools, cryptosporidium survives for up to 10 days. People who have or who recently had diarrhea can carry the parasite into the pool, exposing other swimmers. They, in turn, develop diarrhea a few days later.

 

So is the answer to stay out of swimming pools and head for one of Michigan’s beautiful lakes?

 

Not necessarily, said George Fogg, MD, PhD, an infectious disease specialist with Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.

 

“This parasite has always been around in our pools. It only receives attention when there is an outbreak of cases in a water park or in a community, for example, when cryptosporidium got into the Milwaukee municipal water supply,” Dr. Fogg explained. “The two most common parasites that can cause diarrhea are giardia and cryptosporidium and they have been around for a long time. We are seeing more incidences lately because we are doing a better job of detecting and reporting the cause of these intestinal disorders.”

 

Dr. Fogg said that swimmers developing diarrhea after being in a pool is still “very uncommon. You have a greater risk of getting norovirus on a cruise ship than getting cryptosporidium in a swimming pool—it is very rare.”

 

He recommends that swimmers who do experience diarrhea inform their health provider, although they will likely see the condition “self-correct” within a few days.

 

While there isn’t currently a chemical that is both safe to use in a pool and that would kill the parasite, Dr. Fogg said that taking normal precautions will help swimmers stay healthy.

  • Avoid ingesting any pool water. “That is how it gets into your system.”
  • Shower before and after swimming. “Soap can remove the spores from your skin and prevent you from inadvertently ingesting them through touch.”
  • Stay out of the pool if you have a compromised immune system. “That is who we really worry about—people who have other health conditions who are particularly vulnerable to parasites.”

All in all, Dr. Fogg said not to let unnecessary worry about what’s in the water curtail your traditional summer activities.

 

“Enjoy the summer and have fun,” he said.

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

 

Learn about rip currents before heading to Lake Michigan through WKTV program

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With Lake Michigan only being about an hour away, it is easy during a hot summer day to pack up the family and head to the beach to enjoy the sand and waves.

 

Those waves also contribute to Lake Michigan being the deadliest of the Great Lakes. In fact, Grand Haven has one of the highest current related incidents, 109 from 2002 to the present according to the National Weather Service. Of those incidents, eight have resulted in deaths.

 

The major cause of those incidents have been rip currents. To help increase awareness about riptides the National Weather Service has designated the first week in June as National Rip Current Awareness Week. In honor of that, WKTV will air “Respect the Power,” on Channel 25 June 5 at 9:30 a.m.; June 6 at 6:30 p.m.; June 7 at 11:30 a.m. and June 9 at 7:30 p.m.

 

The video was produced by the Great Lakes Beach & Pier Safety Task Force and was created in memory of Andrew Burton Fox and Daniel Reiss, both who were swept off the Grand Haven pier and drowned in Lake Michigan.

 

According to Grand Haven officials, rip currents and powerful breaking waves are common in the area of the pier. But education, including recognizing what a riptide looks like and what to do if you are caught in one, can increase the chances of a happy outcome.

 

From the “Respect the Power” website, it states that the Great Lakes are better understood as inland seas rather than lakes. Storms not he lakes can easily generate waves up to 30 feet in the most sever storms. However, even smaller waves can be dangerous.

 

When waves break, water is pushed up the slope of the shore. Gravity pulls this water back toward the lake. When the water converges in a narrow, river-like current moving away from the shore, it forms what is know as a rip current. Rip currents can be 50 feet to 50 yards or more wide. They can flow to a point just past the breaking waves or hundreds of yards offshore. You can sometimes identify a rip current by its foamy and choppy surface. The water in a rip current may be dirty from the sand being turned up by the current. The water may be colder than the surrounding water. Waves usually do not break as readily in a rip current as in adjacent water.

 

According to both the “Respect the Power” and the National Weather Service websites, if caught in a rip current, try to relax. A rip current is not an “undertow” and will not pull you under. Do not try to swim against the current as this is very difficult, even for an experience swimmer. If you can, swim parallel to the shore until you are out of the current, then swim directly toward shore. If you are tired, tread water and float and call and wave for assistance. The current will carry you to the end or head of the current, where once rested you can swim back to shore.

 

Some other water safety tips:

 

1. Learn to swim.

 

2. Check with a lifeguard or with the park’s current conditions board before entering water.

 

3. Never swim alone.

 

4. Never dive headfirst into unknown waters or shallow breaking waves.

 

5. Piers are navigational structures and not designed as walkways, proceed at your own risk.

 

6. Do not jump or dive off pier structures.

 

7. Avoid piers when waves begin to spill over the pier surface.

 

8. To avoid rip currents, avoid swimming in areas that are discolored with sand and has a choppy or foamy surface.

 

9. If caught in a rip current, swim parallel to shore (about 30-50 yards) to get out of the rip current before swimming to shore.

 

10. Protect yourself from the sun. Use sun screen.

Day Tripping — Montenegro and Lokrum

3-bottom, architecture, Editorial, Education, Entertainment, Holidays, Local Faces, Travel, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

By Lynn Strough

Travelynn Tales

 

19

Welcome to this week’s chapter in the ongoing series by our world traveler, Lynn Strough. Let’s do some day tripping!

Not far from Dubrovnik, Croatia, is the country of Montenegro, and it’s easy and inexpensive to go day tripping there. Montenegro is known for its beaches and the old city of Kotor, and they’re both worth a look, although on the day I was there, so were three cruise ships and thousands of other tourists, so not the ideal circumstances for my visit.

 

29

In Kotor, you will find inside the city walls, plenty of places to shop and to dine –- it’s quite touristy. But you will also see some interesting architecture, and the inevitable beautiful doors and flapping laundry. An old fortress gives you some lovely views and more places to relax.

 

Many people go there to climb to the top of the mountain above Kotor, although we were told by our tour guide that we didn’t have time. Our guide also informed us on numerous occasions that Montenegro has become a playground for rich Russians. I don’t know if this is true, but there is certainly wealth displayed, in the marina in the form of large yachts, as well as on the nearby tiny island of Sveti Stefan where the 5-star Aman Sveti Stefan hotel beckons to those with deep pockets.

 

 

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It’s always fun to discover the local color of a new country, including markets and graffiti, and taking a day trip to Montenegro is certainly worth a visit, although it’s not on my top list of places to go. I’ve met people who love Montenegro and people who don’t, and to be fair, going on a tour — even a small group tour — isn’t the best way to get the full picture, although I hope you’ve enjoyed a few of mine.

 

Day trips to Mostar, Bosnia, are also available, although I was told it’s five hours on a bus round trip, with only an hour and 1/2 off the bus to see the famous Stari Most bridge, which is not the original but a reconstruction started in 2001. I skipped this.

 

12

More my style for Dubrovnik day tripping, it’s just a little leap to the island of Lokrum, a nature reserve where it’s possible to get away from the crowds of the old town. You depart from the harbor in Dubrovnik, and it’s only a 15-minute scenic ride by taxi-boat. 6.30 euro includes your ride and entrance into the island park reserve. Bring your bathing suit, as you can swim off of one of the many ladders that sink into the sea, or then again, you may not need one.

 

On the island, you can also go hiking, past the Benedictine monastery and up to the top to the old fort, for some interesting history and amazing views. Wear good hiking shoes, as the trails are dirt and rocks and slippery pine needles. It smells like sea and balsam, and I heard a young man with a guitar, sitting on top of the fort strumming and singing.

 

4

The only inhabitants of the island are feathered and full of eyes. Peacocks were brought over from the Canary Islands a century and a half ago, and wander the auto-less island freely. This guy strutted up to me, spread his fan tail, then turned his back on me. I wasn’t sure if he was flirting with me or mooning me.

 

There are a couple of restaurants on the island, but my recommendation is to pack a picnic and pick one of the many perfect rocky shores to dine with a view.

 

Day tripping from Dubrovnik is easy and affordable, so why not stay a few more days before heading off to the rest of the islands, any of over 1000 of them.

 

About Lynn Strough

Lynn is a 50-something-year-old woman whose incarnations in this life have included graphic designer, children’s book author and illustrator, public speaker, teacher, fine art painter, wine educator in the Napa Valley, and world traveler. Through current 31circumstances, she has found herself single, without a job or a home, and poised for a great adventure.

 

“You could consider me homeless and unemployed, but I prefer nomad and self-employed, as I pack up my skills and head off with my small backpack and even smaller savings to circumnavigate the globe (or at least go until the money runs out). Get ready to tag along for the ride…starting now!”

 

 

 

travelynnlogoAll images copyright Lynn Strough and Travelynn Tales

Reprinted with permission

What to bring when you travel: The eternal dilemma

3-bottom, Education, Entertainment, Local Faces, Travel, , , , , ,

By Lynn Strough

Travelynn Tales

 

17This week, Lynn interrupts her parade of places to bring you a comprehensive packing post (at least from a woman’s perspective—guys, you’ll have to adjust accordingly).

This packing list is for long-term travel on a budget, mostly following summer. It’s not for a short-term trip to a big city where you’ll be dining out every night in fancy restaurants, or on a cruise with formal dinner parties, although I think even with what I have, I could make do. This list can take you from hiking in the mountains to lounging on beaches, to perusing museums, to wine tasting, to dining out at a fish shack or a 4-star restaurant.

 

Note: This kind of travel isn’t about making a fashion statement, although it’s nice to look presentable. It’s about being comfortable, warm and dry (except maybe when snorkeling or diving), and having a great time exploring our beautiful world.

14

 

Try to leave a little empty space in your bag for acquisitions, as you’re bound to see something you like, and it would be nice to have room to carry it. The hardest part of my trip is that moment each time I move (which is frequent) when I try to zip my backpack closed, because as light as I’ve packed, I still have too much stuff.

 

And if you’re traveling to Southeast Asia, you can go with just what you have on and an empty backpack and buy a complete wardrobe for about the price of one quick-dry name brand outfit back home.

 

Just remember, those elephant pants that look so cool out on the street in Thailand might look a little out of place back in the mid-west, but if you’re a bit of a bohemian, who cares?

 

 

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Ready? Here we go!

 

Packing List:

  • Kindle (1,000 books for the size and weight of one)
  • 1 pair jeans (I brought one pair, and despite how long they take to dry, I’m glad I did)
  • 1 pair gray quick-dry hiking pants
  • 1 pair quick-dry black pants (can be used for dress or casual or pajamas)
  • 1 pair quick-dry green capris
  • 1 pair black tights (can wear with a dress or layer under pants for warmth)
  • 1 pair quick-dry tan shorts
  • 1 black quick-dry dress
  • 1 brown quick-dry skort (skirt with shorts built in)
  • 1 quick-dry white blouse (I’d have picked a different color, given a good choice—white might look nice, but not for long)
  • 1 gray t-shirt—long-sleeved, quick-dry
  • 1 black long-sleeved, lightweight cotton shirt (alternates as a pajama top)
  • 1 brown patterned, quick-dry top with long sleeves (patterns are good as they hide the dirt)
  • 1 patterned quick-dry green t-shirt
  • 1 green quick-dry, short-sleeved t-shirt
  • 1 striped quick-dry, short-sleeved shirt
  • 2 cotton tank tops
  • 1 striped sleeveless top, brown and black
  • 1 black quick-dry, sleeveless hiking top
  • 1 taupe cotton long-sleeved top with black tank (layers for warmth and tank can be used for pajama top in hot weather)
  • 3 pair hiking socks
  • 2 pair short black socks
  • Hiking boots
  • 1 pair cushy flip flops
  • 1 pair Tom’s shoes (couldn’t find summer walking shoes, so I took my old Tom’s as a temp solution. They ended up lasting me five months and I was sorry when they bit the dust)
  • Gloves (lightweight)
  • Bathing suit
  • Sarong (multiple uses—skirt, dress, beach cover-up, nightgown, towel, blanket, tablecloth)
  • 1 pair short pajama bottoms
  • 2 thin decorative scarves
  • 7 pair quick-dry bikini underwear (you can get away with 3 pair if they’re quick-dry, but my 7 rolled up only take up the room of a pair of socks or 2, and I like not having to do laundry every day)
  • 2 bras
  • A few pair of inexpensive earrings, rings, necklaces (leave your good jewelry at home, you’re likely to lose it, and flashy stuff makes you more of a target for thieves)
  • Rain jacket and rain pants
  • Fleece jacket and thin cardigan
  • Pashmina (can be used as a blanket or a shawl)
  • Packing cubes
  • Silk sleep sack (you might not need this often, but when you do it’s nice to have and takes up the room of 2 pairs of socks)
  • Money belt (not the most comfortable, but important to have)
  • Pack towel (a bit pricey up front, but well worth it—they’re quick-dry, antimicrobial, and pack up small)
  • Door stop (cheap, small, with a big security factor)
  • Drain plug (can’t tell you how many times I’ve used this!)
  • Converter kit (I only use the adaptor plugs, as my phone and computer have their own, and many appliances like hair dryers now come with a way to switch the current)
  • Tiny keychain flashlight
  • Small packets of laundry soap (you can always buy more where you go)
  • Mini-sewing kit
  • Wet Wipes
  • Snacks (just a few for on the plane, you can always buy more wherever you go. Keep in mind many countries don’t allow fruit or nuts in, so eat them before you arrive)
  • Reading glasses
  • Regular glasses and sunglass clips
  • Sunglasses
  • Zip-lock plastic bags, quart and gallon size (bring more than you think you’ll need—you’ll use them all and wish you had more)
  • TSA-approved locks for backpack and daypack
  • Travel document pouch with passport, driver’s license, credit cards, debit cards, plane ticket (always bring at least 2 credit cards—if one is compromised, you’ll have another one for back up)
  • Small amount of cash in US dollars (bring some ones, and make sure they’re new, not creased or torn—some places will only take new bills.)
  • Immunization certificate
  • 10 extra passport pictures (for visas—you can get them abroad but it’s a hassle)
  • iPhone (I use this as my camera, but otherwise add camera to your list)
  • iPod for music
  • Small notebook
  • Lightweight 11″ Macbook Air Laptop
  • Cords and plugs for computer, phone, spare battery, Kindle
  • Spare battery charger (I use this almost every day)
  • Earbuds for iPod
  • Backpack (up to you if you want a roller bag or backpack, both have advantages and disadvantages)
  • Small zip-off daypack
  • Small purse
  • Dop kit
  • Pocket-sized plastic poncho
  • Water bottle
  • Whistle
  • Length of nylon rope (can be used for a clothesline, among other things)
  • Spork (small plastic spoon/fork/knife all in one)
  • Prescriptions (bring what you think you’ll need as you may not be able to get the same thing abroad, however I was able to get my migraine rx for a fraction of the cost in both New Zealand and Thailand – $5 vs the $40 a pill I have to pay in the States!)
  • Antibiotic—general rx for potential intestinal problems
  • Epipen for allergy
  • Ibuprofin
  • Aspirin
  • Benadryl
  • Pepto Bismol
  • Bonine for motion sickness
  • Health and beauty aids—remember, airlines have rules about small quantities in a clear plastic quart bag. You can always pick up shampoo, toothpaste, etc. where you’re going.
  • Shampoo and cream rinse
  • Toothbrush, toothpaste and floss
  • Razor and extra blades
  • Mascara, liner and remover
  • Lipstick
  • Chapstick
  • Brush/comb
  • Hair ties
  • Headband
  • Eye and face cream
  • Body lotion
  • Soap
  • Facewash
  • Sunscreen
  • Deodorant
  • Tweezers (make sure you put tweezers, nail clippers and nail files in checked bags; some airports really will take them)
  • Nail file
  • Nail clippers
  • Contacts and solution (bring extra contacts)
  • Eye drops
  • Hair dryer/flatiron (you can really leave these at home)
  • Swabs
  • Shower cap
  • Band aids
  • Tissues
  • Earplugs
  • Neosporin

 

Art supplies (something most of you probably won’t need):

  • Travel watercolor kit
  • Travel-size brushes
  • Paper
  • Refill paints
  • Spray bottle
  • Pencils and sharpener
  • Eraser
  • Pens – drawing and calligraphy
  • Small watercolor paintings as gifts for some of my longer-term hosts

 

Things you can get ahead, but I planned to get at my first destination:

  • Good walking shoes
  • Hat (more fun to buy on the road, unless you already have a favorite—make sure it’s crush-proof, as no matter how careful you are, somebody will sit on it or put their bag on top of it)
  • Bug spray (too many liquids are hard to carry. Almost any place you travel that you need these, they will be readily available)
  • Travel Umbrella

 

11That’s the list! Modify to suit your needs. This is pretty much all I needed in the first six months. You can figure that whatever you need for a week should just about cover you for a year, with a few exceptions. I did end up buying a base layer in Australia, as I’d planned to hike in the glaciers in New Zealand and had already been caught in rain and hail hiking in summer in Tasmania. These I don’t need often, but when I do, I’m glad I have them, and have used them for pajamas in chilly places as well. I also bought a wool beanie cap, and have worn that to bed, and used it out on the fjords in New Zealand. I left the gloves in a hostel for someone else in the give-away bin. I might need some down the road, but something had to go as I couldn’t zip my bag.

 

What have I brought that I haven’t used? I’m happy to say I’ve used almost everything I brought, except for things I’m glad I didn’t have to use, like motion sickness pills, and my Epi-pen (thankfully, no allergy-inducing mushrooms have crossed my lips), and my emergency whistle. I’ve used only one band aid when I cut my finger on a metal door hinge, and did have to use Benedryl for a couple of colds I picked up in a hostel and on the Tokyo trains (they wear those face masks for a reason).

 

3I’ve used my hairdryer only twice, even though I have long hair now, but if I’d been traveling in cold weather places instead of mostly following summer, I might have used it more. I brought a mini hair straightener and only used it once, so that was a waste of space. On the road, you need very little makeup, jewelry, or fancy clothes, unless you’re doing a very different kind of traveling. Really, it’s a nice break to not worry all the time what your hair looks like.

 

What did I wish I’d brought? More zip-lock baggies. You use them way more than you’d think, and even though you can purchase them most anywhere, I don’t really need a box of 50. Pretty much anything else you need you can find most places—toothpaste and shampoo, clothes, tissues, you name it, other countries have it too. I highly recommend quick-dry clothes, which you can’t always find in all countries, or in some, they’re very expensive, unless you want to be waiting for days for your heavy clothes to dry on the line. Most of the countries I’ve visited don’t use clothes dryers, which are so prevalent in the US. They use good old-fashioned clotheslines and pins. Which reminds me, throw a few clothespins in as well!

 

10What have I acquired? Very little. A pair of loose cotton “elephant” pants and a top in Thailand for my meditation retreat. Some clothes were loaned or given to me, and some clothes I gave away. I did buy a bikini in Australia—they have great bathing suits there. And women in their 80’s don’t hesitate to flaunt their stuff in two-piece bathing suits, so I got over my “I’m-too-old-for-a-bikini” mindset.

 

I replaced my years-old cardigan, and I’ve bought a few gifts for people who have provided me with accommodations or made the effort to come meet me, however with my minimal budget and lack of backpack space, plus no home of my own to ship things to, I haven’t bought much. It’s hard when you see so many cool things in other countries that you know you can’t get at home, and I’ve thought more than once I might like to be an importer and shop for a living

 

But back to packing—remember, whatever you do take along or pick up, you have to lug around, so think seriously about if it’s worth it.

 

25Also, remember when you pack your bag full and head off from a winter location, wearing your jeans and long-sleeved shirt and fleece jacket and hiking boots, and head to a summer place where the temperature is 99F, you aren’t going to want to keep wearing all of that heavy gear. So then where do you put it? In a kangaroo bag! And now you have three bags to tote around. Pack light, pack light, pack light. And bring twice as much money. That old adage, for better or worse, is true.

 

About Lynn Strough

Lynn is a 50-something-year-old woman whose incarnations in this life have included graphic designer, children’s book author and illustrator, public speaker, teacher, fine art painter, wine educator in the Napa Valley, and world traveler. Through current circumstances, she has found herself single, without a job or a home, and poised for a great adventure.1

 

“You could consider me homeless and unemployed, but I prefer nomad and self-employed, as I pack up my skills and head off with my small backpack and even smaller savings to circumnavigate the globe (or at least go until the money runs out). Get ready to tag along for the ride…starting now!”

 

 

 

 

travelynnlogoAll images copyright Lynn Strough and Travelynn Tales

Reprinted with permission