Why You Should Always Wear a Life Jacket in Water Activities
Sailing out to the deep blue waters is a great hobby. But beyond the beauty of it all, there is a risk in going into open waters, especially if you’re not experienced, and you can’t swim. That is why even seasoned professionals come prepared with life jackets in their adventures.
Life jackets may not be the most attractive accessory, but they are necessary to guarantee your safety and visibility. No one can predict the weather accurately, and even on sunny days, the waters may be rough and could throw you overboard. Life jackets aren’t much of a hassle to bring along on your trip. When folded, they can take relatively small space in your luggage. So there really isn’t a reason why you shouldn’t be wearing a life jacket.
3 Reasons You Should Wear a Life Jacket
“Safety First” is and Always will be the Golden Rule
Life jackets are called “life” jackets for a reason. They really do save lives!
In instances where you may fall off a boat, life jackets can stop you from sinking. Remember that any activity on the water carries the chance of accidents. If that does happen, you will be relieved that you are wearing a life jacket. It is always better to have one and not need it than need it and not have one.
Even Good Swimmers Need Life Jackets
Knowing how to swim doesn’t absolve you from wearing life jackets. In the event of an accident, even the most skilled swimmers can drown from panic, injury, or exhaustion from continuous swimming to stay afloat. Even the best swimmers in the world cannot fight against strong currents.
Life jackets were invented, so you don’t have to struggle in the event of an emergency. You can float with ease without the worry of drowning, and you can conserve body heat by not thrashing around.
They are Required
The Australian Coast Guard requires life jackets for boaters to make sure no accident can happen without the first line of protection. The law mandates that children have life jackets on for such activities. You may face penalties if you and your family are caught without life jackets on the open sea.
How to Properly Store a Life Jacket
You can’t just have a life jacket on for the sake of having it on. The life jacket has to be functional. Otherwise, its capacity to save your life may not be as effective.
Make sure that you store them in a cool, dry place. If you store them on a boat, do not bend them or place any heavy object on them as this can damage them. If your life jacket no longer works, invest in a new one.
Conclusion
Safety is always the number one priority in trips, especially if you need to supervise young people. Life jackets may not be the most fashionable, but they get the job done and don’t get in the way of fun. Even people who know how to swim have to put safety first, so there is no reason not to have life jackets.
Besides packing for safety, you want to pack swimming essentials, like waterproof water bags, to keep everything secure and dry. Swim Secure Australia offers high-quality swimming must-haves—tow floats, dry bags, and wild swim bags. Browse our shop and get your gear ready today!