As Floridians, we don’t need to wait for the official arrival of summer to be concerned with the harmful effects of the sun. Here in the Sunshine State protecting our skin should be an everyday practice, yet many of us wait until the temperature climbs into the 90’s before we take notice. The simplest way to protect ourselves from harmful solar radiation is to stay out of the sun, but as fishermen we know that is just not going to happen. So we need to find a workable solution. To make it simple we can sum it up in one word ‘maintenance.’
As fishermen and boat owners, maintenance is a familiar term. As a boat owner, you develop a check list to keep your boat in running order. You may need to check the engine’s oil, check the various hoses on your boat, wash and wax your boat and the list goes on and on. The same is true with protecting your skin from the harm UVA and UVB rays of the sun. Preventative maintenance of your skin must be an essential part of any fishing excursion. Failure to do so may lead to early skin aging and possibly death from skin cancer.
In Australia, a country with one of the highest skin cancer rates in the world, they developed the motto “slip, slop, and slap” which refers to; ‘slip’ into sun-protecting clothing, ‘slop’ on the sunblock and ‘slap’ on a hat.
If you are going to be outside in the sun the best way to block the sun’s rays is to have a physical barrier between you and the sun. Though any tight woven fabric is better than nothing, clothing designed to protect you from harmful UVA and UVB radiation with a UPF Rating of 15 or better is the best way to protect your skin. UPF is an acronym for Ultraviolet Protection Factor which is used for clothing and apparel whereas SPF is an acronym for Sun Protective Factor which is used for sunscreen lotions and creams. Both are based on the percentage of UVA and UVB reflected or absorbed by the product. The higher the rating’s value, the greater the percentage of rays are blocked. A UPF or SPF rating of 15 blocks 93% of harmful radiation, a UPF rating of 30 blocks 97% of the radiation and a UPF of 50 blocks 98% of harmful radiation. So the first order in protecting your skin would be to cover it up. Wear long sleeve shirts preferably with a high UPF and a high collar to protect your arms and the back of your neck. To protect your legs, wear a similar UPF rated pair of long legged pants.
The next step in proper skin care maintenance is to ‘slop’ on the sunscreen. Not all sunscreens are made for the boater-fisherman so choose one with a high SPF, such as 30 SPF or better. The sunscreen should be ‘broad spectrum’ which means it blocks both UVA and UVB radiation waves and one that is water-resistant. Apply it ½-hour before your sun exposure and reapply it every few hours during the day. A good rule of thumb is to lather up with the sunscreen during your hydration break while fishing. Consider it hydrating the outside of your body at the same time hydrating the inside of your body. Both are equally important.
After you have slopped on the sunscreen and put on that long sleeved shirt the next step is to ‘slap’ on a hat. However just not any hat will do, it should be a wide brimmed hat that shades your ears, your face and the back of your neck from the sun. Baseball caps are great to wear and they look great but they offer little shade and protection from the sun. Our suggestion would be to wear the baseball cap at the marina or in the early morning twilight but once your shadow cast by the sun is smaller than you, it’s time to change to the wide brimmed hat. While you’re changing hats, slip on those UV-rated sunglasses to protect your eyes and if you like, that neck protecting gator and those fingerless gloves. The more you cover up the greater your protection is from the sun and possible skin cancers.
The last and most important item on your skin care maintenance list should be a good dermatologist. With all cancers early detection is the key to successful treatment. Depending on how much time you spend on the water or working in the sun, you should have at least a yearly check-up with your dermatologist. Sure you can go to your primary care physician and many are great at spotting troubled skin lesions but would you take your boat’s outboard engine to a generic auto mechanic or a certified outboard mechanic. Your life may depend on it.
In closing, one of the best parts of being June is that Father’s Day is just around the corner. So instead of getting that customary tie or tee shirt, ask your family for a new long sleeve UPF 50+ vented fishing shirt. If you don’t have a family better yet, go out and buy one for yourself. Most retailers will have all kinds of Father’s Day specials going on so why not buy something that will give you the best protection against the harmful effects of long term exposure to sunlight. Remember the damage to your skin from the sun’s radiation is accumulative, so the sooner you protect yourself, the better your odds are of avoiding skin cancer.
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