DON’T TOUCH ME THERE!

Originally Published the Week of Aug. 16, 2022 in Western Outdoor Publications

Jimmy and his dad came down here to La Paz to fish with our fishing fleet.  They had forgotten to bring sunscreen.

As one of them told me, “We’re two Casper-white guys from Washington and we never see the sun where we live!”

So, I sent them down a few blocks to the local grocery store that night.  They went out fishing the next day.

When they came back, I saw two of the reddest men I have ever seen.  Both Jimmy and his dad had also (unwisely) taken their shirts off while they fished. 

About the only part that wasn’t crimson were the “raccoon eyes” from their sunglasses.  And obviously under their shorts and I didn’t need to check that out!

They weren’t in pain yet, but I knew it was coming.  They were grinning after a good day of fishing and I don’t think they realized how burned they had gotten.

I asked them to show me the bottle of sunscreen they had purchased.

When I read it, I realized it was some kind of Mexican tan accelerator.  Much like baby oil!  OMG.

I told them they had purchased the wrong thing. 

They told me they couldn’t read Spanish and didn’t know how to ask for it at the store.  So, they bought the bottle because it had a “sun” on it and looked like it was the right stuff.

I just shook my head. 

I was worried that at some point, I might have to send these guys to the local urgent care.  Or, I’d be getting a call from their hotel room in the middle of the night asking for some aloe gel pain relief.

As it turned out, they were fortunately the type of guys that “fry” with very little pain.  But they were fishing for an entire week and even before they left, they were peeling like crazy.

They were fortunate.  I’ve seen some bad sunburns in my 30 years down here running our fishing operation.

Even using sunscreen, I see some ugly burns on ears, tops of thighs, the tops of feet (those spaces in between flip-flops and sandals) as well as the regular places.

So, I figured I’d do some research on sunscreen and there were some interesting facts.

Listen, there’s no disputing that too much sun and those dastardly UV rays can dry and damage your skin.  Sometimes very painfully.  Plus the long-term effects of cancer can’t be ignored.

Facts are facts, but I found there’s a lot of myths about sunscreen as well.

For instance, 30 SPF blocks 97% of the UV rays.  Going higher than that is just marketing.  It’s not only more expensive, but you’re only blocking another 1 or 2 percent at most.

Go for a label that says “broad spectrum” that covers a range of say, “15-50 SPF” for the best protection.

Another one has to do with skin color.  Early on, being dark-skinned myself,  I thought I didn’t need sunscreen. 

It’s a common misconception about dark or olive-skinned folk.  Yes, you do need sunscreen and can still suffer skin damage.

And yes, you can burn just as easily on a cloudy day or windy day.  And yes, you can get burned in the wintertime. Even when it’s cold.

By the way, there’s no such thing as “waterproof” sunscreen and manufacturers are now prohibited from using that label.  It can be “water-resistant” but only between 40-80 minutes.

Either way, you should probably re-apply every 2 hours or after you go in and out of the water or are doing a high-sweat activity.

I also never knew that sunscreen expires.  Between my wife and I, we have about 20 bottles of various sunscreens that people have left behind.

The FDA requires that sunscreen retain it’s advertised strength for 3 years.  Many suncreens will have an expiration date on the label . Some do not so you’ll just have to try to remember when you bought it.

Sunscreen also loses it’s effectiveness if the bottle has been exposed to heat or sunshine. That makes sense. 

By the way, hitting the tanning salon before you go on vacation, gives you a head-start on your tan.   It does very little as far as protecting you from skin damage.  So, you still need sunscreen.

I do see a lot of our anglers using sunscreen sprays.

There’s some trepidation among the experts and from me personally .

Sure, it’s convenient.  However…

There’s no way to know if you’re covering yourself evenly when you spray.  Most folks don’t use enough sunscreen to begin with.

It is recommended that you use a teaspoonful just to do your face and neck.  Spray barely covers that!

The medical community also says that inhaling the chemicals from sunscreen can be harmful.  If you’re spraying in a breeze…well, you know…you’ve seen the spray flying all over the place.

Your clothes…your buddy…the boat seat…your fishing gear all get a little dose of spray. 

It’s one of my little peeves to see sunscreen getting on fishing gear.  I think fish can smell oils and chemicals. 

In fact, we know it’s true.  We buy “scents” to go fishing to put on our lures and bait like shrimp, anchovy and squid aromas.

So, I make a point to always wash my hands no matter what I touch.  Sunscreen…my burrito…a cigarette (I don’t smoke, but lots of fishermen do) it doesn’t matter.  I wash my hands before I touch my baits, lures or reels.

That being said, I still make sure the rest of me is covered with sunscreen, hat, long sleeve shirts and sunglasses.   You’d be wise to do the same.

That’s my story!

Jonathan

Jonathan Roldan’s
Tailhunter Sportfishing

www.tailhunter.com

Mexico Office: Tailhunter International, 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico

U.S. Mailing Address:  Tailhunter Sportfishing

8030 La Mesa Blvd. #178, La Mesa CA  91942

Phones: 
from USA : 626-638-3383
from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863

“When your life finally flashes before your eyes, you will have only moments to regret all the things in life you never had the courage to try.”