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The time of year known nationally as the official boating season is about as relevant to Texans as Punxsutawney Phil seeing his shadow on Groundhog Day in Pennsylvania. Our climate does not limit water recreation to three months out of the year as in may other states across the country. Many a Texas Christmas photo shows family members sporting shorts. On Feb. 25, Austin’s 92-degree high was one of the warmest on record for that date. With warm, sunny days today, boaters and swimmers are not waiting until May to enjoy water recreation. And with LCRA’s meteorologist Bob Rose forecasting a trend of warmer temperatures, we can expect to see the numbers of lake visitors on the rise well before the official first day of spring on March 20. What we don’t want to see, however, is more lake accidents occurring earlier as well. Unfortunately, the first two Highland Lakes drownings already occurred in February. They were both at Lake Travis and both victims were Austin-area residents. This is the earliest in a year that a lake fatality has occurred on Lake Travis in at least eight years. So just as our mild Texas winters don’t limit use of the lakes, actions and precautions that make lake visits safer should not be limited to Memorial Day through Labor Day. That doesn’t mean folks won’t hear plenty about National Safe Boating Week when it takes place May 17-23; it just means we want the safety reminders to be heard now when it’s already warm enough to enjoy the lakes. Plenty of water in the Highland Lakes and warm temperatures provide a great opportunity for people to enjoy the water by boat or from the shoreline. And lake visitors of all types can benefit from following a few easy water safety tips such as swimming or boating with a friend, wearing a life jacket, drinking responsibly and taking time to learn about risks such as water-related illnesses that are associated with any lake. For the third year, LCRA will promote safe enjoyment of the lakes through its Nobody’s Waterproof™ campaign. See www.nobodyswaterproof.com for dates and locations of these interactive lake events as well as tips to make sure your lake visit is fun and safe from start to finish.
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Have fun this summer but remember:
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