ANNUAL SUMMER PREPAREDNESS GUIDE By Corky Carroll This is my annual public service column about how to properly prepare yourself for going to the beach this summer. I write this almost same story every year at this time in hopes that I can prevent at least a few people from sever damage caused by not having a clue how to spend a day at the beach safely. This is not for you beach regulars who know what you are doing, it is for you newbies who, even though you don’t know it, will be heading for certain disaster unless you read this and heed every tid bit of advice that I am going to bestow on you. If you have read this before it’s a good idea to read it again, just to brush up. If this is the first time you are reading my preparedness guide then you should read it three times in a row and again tomorrow twice. I might be able to save you a world of hurt. First off, the sun is not your best pal. Yes I know you are envisioning yourself with that amazing golden bronze tan looking like the God or Goddess that you know you could be with a little bit of color. And, heck, maybe you might be. But getting there in not as easy as you might think. The sun is not your best pal, again. Sunblock is. One of the most important facts that I can lay on you here is that sunblock will NOT keep you from getting a tan. If anything it will help you. One of the worst things you can do is go to the beach and think that it’s O.K. to lie out for maybe twenty or thirty minutes BEFORE you apply the sunblock. By then it’s too late and the damage will be done. Plus the fact that it takes about twenty minutes to work makes it even worse. This is the proper way to use sunblock. 1. Put it on generously before you even leave your house. 2. Put it on generously again before you get out of your car, on the way there is the best. 3. Put more on as soon as you get your spot in the sun. 4. Keep putting it on as the day goes along. 5. Don’t stay in direct sunlight too long at one time. Umbrellas are good. Sunburns are not fun at all. You will not feel it happen until it’s already happened. Then that night you are gonna be really unhappy about the whole mess. I can’t tell you how many people I have seen who think they protected themselves and later, when looking in the mirror, yelp, “Oh my God, I look like a lobster and this really hurts badly.” Sunblock is a must, and use the strongest you can buy. I like to use the stuff they make for babies because it is very strong and doesn’t sting your eyes. There are a zillion good brands out there. Hawaiian Tropic, Aloe Gator and Get it On to name a few that I use and like. Get it On is locally made and stays on better than most of the others and you can even put it on in the water. The important thing is that you use it and NEVER forget. But besides sunblock you also are going to want to take along a hat, sunglasses and some sort of cover up clothing. A bit more on the sunglasses factor. These are very important to have for the beach, just as they are for the snow or anywhere with a lot of “reflection.” Sand is just like snow, a zillion tiny mirrors reflecting sun and heat right into you eyes. And all those pretty glitters that the sun puts on the water are super dangerous for your eyes. Sunburned eyes are super painful. And the damage the sun can cause is serious. I can attest to this fact first hand, having had 4 incredibly painful and horrific eye surgeries and also cobalt treatments do to damaging my eyes as a kid growing up on the beach and not knowing that I should be wearing sun protection. That and the skin cancer that I am currently doing gorilla warfare with make me the poster boy for how to do it wrong and regret it big time later. You don’t want that kind of future. Aside from sun protection, which is the major thing you need to be concerned with, you also need to keep yourself hydrated. Take along a good supply of water and/or some kind of electrolyte beverage such as Gatorade. A lot of sun and dehydration can give you heat stroke. You will think you have the stomach flu or ate something bad, but its intensive dehydration. This can even lead to a real stroke, and that is the last thing on anybody’s wish list. Lastly, as I am more than out of space, take something to protect your feet. Sand gets really hot during the mid day sun. Good luck.
Posted on: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 15:30:28 +0000
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