OUTDOOR SAFETY

RECREATIONAL SWIMMING

During the summer when swimming is always a treat, there are some things that you need to know for your safety as well as others.

DOs DON'Ts
Use the buddy system when swimming. Swim alone.
Compete in underwater swimming.
Check water for submerged rocks and hidden obstacles before swimming. Dive in unfamiliar water.
Consume alcoholic beverages.
Know that a life jacket or similar floating device is nearby in case of an emergency. Swim at night.
Swim during electrical storms.

*There must be a life guard on duty at the Dartmouth College riverfront area (north of Ledyard Bridge) when you go swimming there with your little sibling. There are also specific regulations posted at this site that you should read. The Connecticut river is dangerous for swimming. Depth and current speed may change radically day to day due to operation of the dam downstream. Submerged obstacles in the current can be a hazard to swimmer. So please be careful.

BOATING

  • Under most circumstances, boating on the Connecticut River should be limited to the period of time when the water temperature is above 50 degrees.
  • State laws require that a life jacket be available for each person in the boat, and jackets should be worn by all occupants of a boat when water temperatures are below 50 degrees.
  • There should be no more than two people occupying a canoe.
  • Boaters should be on constant guard for swimmers and for submerged objects when operating a boat. Care should be taken to avoid excessive speeds in a motorboat.
  • State and federal laws provide penalties for over-consumption of alcoholic beverages in any private watercraft. In the interest of safety, do not consume alcoholic beverages.
  • Boating at night or during electrical storms is hazardous and is therefore discouraged.
  • Carry a first aid kit.

BICYCLING

Recreational bicycling is becoming more and more popular each year. The guidelines which follow may prove helpful in ensuring the overall safety of bicyclists and motorists alike:

DOs DON'Ts
Have bicycle equipped with safety strapping, reflectors or reflective tape and lights. Ride at night when visibility requires vehicles to use head-ights, unless you have proper nighttime visibility equipment.
Ride single file on the right-hand side of the road (with traffic). Ride during electrical storms or in heavy traffic.
Maintain approximately 100 yards between cyclists when traveling in a group. Ride in winter conditions when snow and/or ice makes control of the bicycle difficult.
Wear a protective helmet.
Wear luminescent vests or bands or dress in bright colors such as orange or red. (This is particularly important at dusk.) Wear stereo headphones that may impede your ability to hear traffic.
Make all dismounts at a safe distance from the road.
Use all standard traffic regulations, including hand signals. Ride approximately one-half hour before dusk until one-half hour after.
When approaching horses being ridden along roadsides, stop and quietly wait for them to pass, or move around them with extreme caution.

ICE SAFETY

Never assume that ice is safe-always check to be sure. The first ice of the season is usually not uniform in thickness because it takes prolonged freezing temperatures to produce solid ice. As a general rule of thumb, four inches of ice is considered safe only for a few widely separated fishermen or skaters. When it is five inches thick, ice is safe for general use. You should use a chisel or an auger to check its thickness; start at the shoreline and work your way out carefully. Above all, don't go out on any ice alone. Take a friend and rescue equipment (rope, blanket, etc.) with you. Local spots, such as Occom Pond, are generally posted, and ice safety signs should be heeded.

Regardless of the ice depth, however, there are certain areas which should always be considered as dangerous: inlets, outlets, and reefs, and the areas around bridge abutments and between islands should always be checked very carefully. Beware of clear or honeycombed ice, and stay away from dark spots in the ice. Areas where the snow covers looks discolored should also be avoided. Remember, your life may depend on the fact that you checked the ice before you ventured on it.

Winter activity on the Connecticut River is hazardous, and therefore strongly discouraged. The operations of several hydroelectric dams cause variations in the water level and may create unstable air pockets under seemingly solid ice through which one may fall.