Nicer weather heading into boating season can make the water deceiving

GLOUCESTER, Mass. — With many warmer-than-average days going into the boating season, harbormasters are getting a jump on reminding people how dangerously the cold water is this early in the season.

Inside the Gloucester Museum School – they are prepping the boats. But Executive Director Jo-Anne Crawford says the real fun won’t come until the water temps get well out of the 40s. “We’ll have them ready for June and the boats will be ready to fill with children and we take them out and teach them rowing,” said Crawford.

Gloucester harbormaster TJ Ciarametaro says the weather can be extremely tricky this time of year.

“It can be 80 degrees out one day and the next day it is 40 and it is blowing 20-25 knots out of the south,” said Ciarametaro. No matter how big your boat is the harbormaster says you can easily end up in the water and right now it is dangerously cold. “What will happen is when the water is so cold, your body and muscles will tense up in a shock factor and you will actually lose a good majority of your strength,” Ciarametaro.

The harbormaster says on average it takes a good month of warmer temperatures to get the water temperature up to a safer level.

“You are not really going to see a big temperature change for about another month. Mid-May we will jump up about 10 degrees and early June you will be in the 60s,” said Ciarametaro. “By June, we are usually, all wearing life jackets including the instructors,” said Crawford.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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