Ice and maritime safety
Reducing the risk
Going fishing can involve risks if you are not well prepared. Risks that can be avoided.
Take a friend with you! When there are several of you, you can help each other in case of an accident and have a good time while fishing.
It's also important to dress for the weather. And bring a packed lunch and a hot drink - people who are warm and full think and fish better.
Before you set off on your adventure:
Check the weather! Always check the weather before you go out and keep an eye on whether the forecast changes. There are now a number of weather apps to download, in addition to SMHI's, there are, for example, the Swedish Maritime Administration's "ViVa" and the Swedish Sea Rescue Society's "Kustväder".
Let them know where you are going! Make sure someone on shore knows where you are and when you are expected to be home. If your plans change, let them know.
Life jackets on! Make sure everyone wears a life jacket if you go boating. Life jackets save lives. If the boat capsizes but floats, stay with it. You are safer there than swimming to shore.
Ice studs on! Everyone should wear ice studs on the ice. They should be high around the neck, outside the clothes and the hood. Practice how to use the ice studs.
Make sure you can raise the alarm! If the worst happens, always make sure you can raise the alarm. Keep your cell phone in a waterproof case, so you can call 112 even from the water. Sound the alarm early, it may take a while for help to arrive. It is better to cancel an alarm than to be too late.
Ice awareness
When the ice breaks up, lakes and seas become accessible in a completely different way. Places you would otherwise need a boat to reach can now be reached by ski, snowmobile or hiking. It's a great feeling to step out onto the first ice and start winter fishing. But you need to be careful. With the right preparation, you can avoid dangerous situations.
- Keep an eye on the thickness of the ice - 10 centimetres of core ice provides a good safety margin - but if you choose to fish on thinner ice, you need to be very careful. How safe the ice is varies, a decimeter at the beginning of winter can be safer than a meter of ice later in spring. It all depends on the quality and structure of the ice.
- Ice can be affected by currents, wind and rain. In general, avoid inlets, outlets and straits with currents.
- Pay attention to open bays where the wind often keeps the water moving and makes ice formation difficult.
- A thick snow cover on the ice makes ice growth more difficult, while snow can hide weak spots.
Also remember not to be out in the open during thunderstorms, as you and your fishing rod can become a lightning rod. When the thunder rumbles, it is therefore best to move to safer places.
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