With our sudden blast of warmer weather, it’s tempting to jump into the water and…
Would you still want to go swimming in Devil’s Lake on a nice October day? Well, for most of us that answer would be, “no!”
Swimming in October? In Wisconsin??
There are folks who still swim this time of year. Most of them will be wearing wetsuits of some sort. Still, you have to watch the air temperatures and make good choices. Yesterday a reader asked on social media if we could give them an idea of how cold the lake was. Sure! So I went out last evening (In the pouring rain!) and checked the temperature.
Taking the lake’s temperature
I have a thermometer which is attached along with a weight to some heavy-duty kite string. (Yep, I’ve done this before!) I sunk it off the south shore pier into about 3 feet of water and got a good reading of about 63 degrees. It’s important to note that there will always be some variation in lake temperatures depending on locations, conditions, and depths, but this is probably a good general location and depth for swimming temps. (Testing the shallow water right next to the beach for instance will often give you too high of a reading.)
What does 63 degrees mean?
Well, for most of us who swim outdoors a comfortable swimming temperature is above 75 degrees. Between 60 and 70 degrees, it gets a bit chilly! On the warm end, you may get used to it, although breathing can get shallow and you may not be able to hold your breath for long. This is really wetsuit temperatures. But 63 is on the low end of the range. In the 50-60 degree area we start worrying about hyperventilation, cold shock and if you’re in the water for very long, hypothermia. Serious issues. So at 63, you’re darn close to risky temps.
But what if it’s a nice warm day?
Well, the forecast for the next couple of weeks suggests it won’t get much warmer than 60f for a while. Conveniently, the coast guard suggests everyone should “Think 60” so this is the perfect time to haul out that chart…
As you can see, we’re right on the cusp of the “Danger Zone”. You certainly won’t want to fall out of a boat, this time of year! And swimming? Well…
Be safe out there!
References
For nearly 2 decades the Skillet Creek blog has focused on 3 main goals; To inspire you to visit and explore the Devil’s Lake region, to help you get the most your visit by sharing tips, events, and other helpful information. Lastly to advocate for our environment & wildlife and talk about how we can keep our natural areas amazing now and into the future! That last goal can sometimes cause controversy, but it’s the only way we can accomplish the first two. – Derrick Mayoleth, Owner.
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