BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – With steamy weather descending on the region this week, many folks may be tempted to take a dip in the lake or their local swimming hole, but emergency responders are asking the public to use extreme caution if they take the plunge.
It’s a call Richmond Rescue dreads every hot day in late spring — someone taking an early-season dive into the Bolton potholes.
“While the weather may be hot, the water temperatures are not warm at all. There’s still some snow up in the mountains melting off,” said the rescue group’s Michael Chiarella. What starts as a dip in one of the lazier potholes can lead to a frigid, deadlier gamble in the turbulent upper falls. “I think there’s always that temptation once you’ve had a little bit of fun down and one of the small pools to maybe try jumping in off the rock up to a higher one and things escalate quickly,”
It’s especially dangerous after heavy rainfall when strong currents can hold bathers in the chilly mountain water for even longer. “If it’s really cold, your body is going to have an instinct where it’s going to want to take a deep breath,” said Mike Cannon with VT Urban Search and Rescue. “Once that water enters your upper airway, you start coughing, you take in more water you continue to cough and ultimately you drown.”
Cannon says ponds and lakes are a warmer, safer option this time of year. There’s little to no current and swimming near the shore makes it easy to escape the chill. “I recommend that they go to some beach on Lake Champlain like Letty or North Beach where it’s safe to swim,” he said.
Amanda Shapiro was among swimmers enjoying a worry-free beach day at Burlington’s Leddy Park on Wednesday. “It’s feeling cold for sure but it feels super refreshing,” she said.
“I think maybe later in the season would definitely be better for some mountain, river swimming,” said Sophia Fisher of Burlington.
With more hot days on the horizon, Chiarella urges people to think twice before taking the plunge.