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Planning
on getting out to paddle in the great outdoors this summer? Hoping
for clear, bright weather and endless sunny days? Fantasizing about
the bow of your faithful kayak cutting gracefully through idyllic
calm water, the sun's warm, glorious rays bouncing off the glassy
surface and shimmering around you? Then again, are you planning
on living a long, healthy life? Back in the "good old days," nobody ever really worried much about sunburn. Indeed, until recently, it was not uncommon to see sun-worshippers slathering baby oil and other slick lotions onto their exposed skin, in an attempt to magnify the tanning effects of the sun's rays. Unfortunately, the good old days are a thing of the past. We now know that ultraviolet A radiation (UVA) in sunlight can pose serious long-term health risks. The Skin Cancer Foundation states that during the past ten years the number of cases of malignant melanoma, a potentially fatal skin cancer, has increased more rapidly than any other type of cancer. The American Cancer Society received reports of over 50,000 new cases of skin cancer last year, with a likelihood that many more cases went unreported. According to Martin A. Weinstock, M.D., Ph.D., Chief of Dermatology at the Providence (R.I.) Veterans Affairs Medical Center, the number of skin cancer cases is roughly equal to all other types of cancer combined. Those
of us who spend time on the water are particularly vulnerable to
ultraviolet exposure not only because we spend time outside, but
also because of the highly reflective quality of the water upon
which we paddle. This is especially true when the water is calm,
and there are no waves to scatter the sun's reflection. Indeed,
a calm, reflective water surface can nearly double your radiation
exposure, and make such preventive measures as a sun block, sun
hat and proper sunglasses particularly important. UV intensity can
be high even on cloudy days, and this can be true all year round,
not just in summer. |
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Sun
Protection for Paddlers
There are a few things you might want to know about the effects
of sunlight before you head out onto the water.