I’ve spent a good portion of my life living, fishing and playing in the great outdoors of Florida. I’ve worked on the water for a number of years and with that comes the dangers of over exposure to the harmful rays of the sun.
When I was a child we didn’t even use sunblock. Those were the days of the Coppertone girl with print ads and billboards showing a little blonde girl having her pants pulled down by a small dog to expose her bare, lilly white butt. The rest of her body was golden tanned! My how things have changed! With new science and research it’s been proven that the UV rays from the sun we worship here in Florida are actually quite bad for your skin. It’s no longer fashionable to have that deep dark resort tan.
Because I work on the water almost everyday and I spend most of that time in the sun, I thought I’d pass along some useful information to help you protect yourself from over exposure to Mr. Sol.
Sunblock. I use it everyday and recommend you put it on whenever you are planning a day outside. I like the white rub-on lotion vs. the spray-on version. The lotion covers your skin much better and there is little or no evaporation. The sprays seem to put most of the protection on the deck of my boat and are impossible to use in the wind.
I personally use “Bull Frog SuperBlock” lotion with a 45 SPF factor. The SPF number is very important. An SPF 10 rating means you can stay in the sun without burning 10 times longer than you can without using sunblock. Be careful with the numbers. If your skin begins to burn in only 15 minutes then an SPF of 10 is only going to protect you for a little over 2 hours providing you don’t sweat. Yes, you can reapply but I’ve found that it’s best to put the sunblock on BEFORE you leave the house. It works much better on cool, dry skin then it does on sweaty hot skin. Make sure you put extra lotion on your nose, ears and the tops of your hands. If you are going to be on a boat you should make sure to apply extra sunblock to the backs of your legs. The reflection off of the deck is brutal.
Clothing. It is important to wear proper clothing for protection from the sun. Many of the sport clothing manufactures are now making shirts and pants with SPF ratings on the labels. The highest I’ve seen is 30 and that’s a whole lot better than the typical SPF 5 that a cotton t-shirt will provide. The sporting / fishing attire is also going to keep you a lot cooler than street clothing. It’s also designed with light weight materials that breath and “wick” sweat away from your body. I’d recommend that you buy long sleeve shirts and long pants. The sleeves can be rolled up if necessary and most fishing pants come with zip off legs that turn them into shorts after returning to the dock. Here’s a tip for you. Buy lighter colored shirts and pants for summer wear. The light colors reflect sunlight while dark colors absorb it. There’s nothing hotter than a black shirt on a sunny day.
Accessories. There are several items that you need to add to your arsenal that will help protect you from the sun’s rays.
Get a good pair of sunglasses. The sun is brutal on the eyes and a nice polarized pair of shades will cut the glare and will also provide protection for a wayward lure or hook.
Sun gloves have been on the market for quite some time now. They are fingerless and light weight and dry quickly even after being totally submersed in water. They are designed to protect the back of you hands from the sun and work much better than sunblock lotion because they won’t “wash off”.
A hat is a must and the best are ones made with light colors and wide brims. I have a Tilley hat and would recommend it, hands down.
The buff is a cross between a scarf and a full face mask. They are tubes of a stretch material that are lightweight and breath even in the hottest weather. You simply pull the tube over your head and then down around your neck. You can pull it back up at anytime to protect your face and even your ears if needed. They are simple and comfortable and easy to use. Just don’t wear it to your local bank branch office.
Until next time... Get out there and enjoy all that our area has to offer.
Capt. Rob Modys
SoulMate Charters
