SHIP AHOY: As the temperatures rise and Memorial Day is upon us, no doubt many residents will flock to the many water-based recreation areas rural Pennsylvania has to offer.

May 17 through 23 is National Safe Boating Week, and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has simple tips for boaters to keep a relaxing day on the water just that. In fact, the Commission offers a boating handbook online at www.fish.state.pa.us/bookboat.htm, complete with legal requirements, rescue and safety instructions and rules for how to operate a boat and navigate.

The site even offers lists of water trails and boating terms.

The biggest safety tip, written in excited letters at the top of safeboatingcampaign.com: “Always wear your life jacket!”

The Safe Boating Council, a partner in the North American Safe Boating Campaign, indicates that drowning is the leading cause of boating deaths, and most victims were not wearing life jackets. Life jackets should be Coast Guard-approved and fit properly — children should not wear adult-sized jackets.

While the temperatures are slated to hit the mid-70s on Memorial Day, the water is still quite cold and the danger of hypothermia is still present. The Fish and Boat Commission recommends wearing fabrics that insulate when wet, such as wool, fleece or synthetic fabrics, and to keep clothes on. “If you are about to fall into cold water, cover your mouth and nose with your hands so you don’t inhale water,” the Commission’s handbook states.

If a fellow passenger falls out of the boat, the Commission says to first shout “man overboard” and stop the boat. Toss an item that floats to the victim, and have someone in the boat keep constant track of where the victim is while he or she is in the water. All passengers should be aware of the danger of the boat’s propeller.

Also, while there may be nothing better than feeling the wind on your face, the waves below your boat and a cold beer in your hand, the Commission handbook reminds residents that it is, in fact, illegal to operate a boat under the influence of alcohol. The legal limit in Pennsylvania is the same as driving a car — a 0.08 percent blood alcohol level.

According to the campaign, the number of boating fatalities hit a 22-year low in 2012 at 651 deaths, down from 924 in 1991. The chart didn’t speculate as to the reason for the drop. Perhaps better educated boaters?