It may feel like summer, but the Coast Guard and New Hampshire's Marine Patrol want boaters to know that the water in the Northeast is dangerously cold.
"Plain and simple: Cold water shocks, incapacitates and kills," said Al Johnson, a Coast Guard recreational boating specialist.
At least three people have died in near-freezing waters in the Northeast this spring, including a canoeist in Mattituck, N.Y., a kayaker in Jamaica, Vt., and a man who tried to save a youngster who was struggling in 38-degree water in Lancaster, N.H.
The Coast Guard issued a cold water safety advisory Wednesday for anyone hoping to take advantage of the warm weather by doing some boating. Johnson says water temperatures in lakes and ponds remain close the freezing point and are not even remotely tolerable.
David Barrett, head of New Hampshire's Safety Services Division, says low water temperatures are a special hazard for small craft.
"Anyone who capsizes or falls overboard can only survive for a few minutes because of the stress that cold water places on the body," Barrett said. "It rapidly saps the strength of even a strong swimmer."
He said water temperatures of 60 degrees or below are considered cold, and temperatures are around 40 degrees in most New Hampshire waterways.
Safety tips for early season boaters include wearing life jackets and insisting that passengers or paddling partners wear them as well.
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