Don't sweat it: Embrace the summer heat

Today is the summer solstice.

To us nonastronomers, it generally means the first day of summer and the longest day, in terms of daylight, of the year, though that's not always the case.

College of Charleston astronomy instructor Terry Richardson says the longest day could fall on the day before or after the solstice, and that there are numerous variables that make this summer solstice business, indeed, all of astronomy, complicated.

Richardson points to the fact that the Earth's orbit around the sun is elliptical, not circular, that the Earth has an atmosphere, that not everyone follows Greenwich Mean Time, and that leap year must be factored in. Astronomers view the solstice more specifically.

"It is a point on the celestial sphere — an instantaneous event in time. Up until the solstice, the sun's apparent motion has been getting higher (in the Northern Hemisphere) in the celestial sphere, or the sky. On the solstice, the sun has reached the highest point."

In my nonastronomical mind, it always struck me as odd that the longest day of the year falls right at the beginning of summer. It seems like it would be in the middle of summer, like July 30, when summer is the hottest. Right?

The summer season is further skewed based on our schedules and where we live.

Schools dictate that summer runs from about Memorial Day to Labor Day. Even if you don't have kids, most of us take a major block of vacation time during those three months. Then, there is something just right about having those bookend holidays for summer with the Fourth of July dropped right in the middle. God Bless America!

Without regard to vacations, the summer season in the Lowcountry really runs from May 15 to Oct. 15, which is about the time the air conditioners have to run 24/7. That long summer season combined with A/C may be why about 80 percent of us (just a guesstimate) who move here, and aren't forced by work, family or hurricanes, stay put.

In the coming months, plenty of people will start complaining about the heat and humidity. Don't be one of them. This is our season to endure a little extreme weather and I, along with about 60,000 PFOs (people from Ohio), can assure you that it's much better than four to six months of cold, snow, ice, wind and gray skies.

I have found that the people who don't mind those wintry conditions often are the same people who get out and into it. They enjoy downhill or cross-country skiing, ice skating and ice fishing. And they get good, high-tech warm clothing.

So if you find yourself dreading the Lowcountry summer, do the same. Embrace the heat. Acclimate to it. Sweat. Drink more water. Do stuff outside every day. But pay attention to the warning signs of heat illness: fatigue, thirst, muscle cramps, headache, dizziness and lightheadedness, weakness, nausea and vomiting, clammy skin and/or dark urine.

I've learned to love the heat and even the humidity. Granted, it wouldn't be that way without getting relief in air conditioning, especially while working and during the night.

But I really do love summer here.Some of it involves regular performances by Mother Nature. Despite the danger and inconvenience of late-afternoon thunderstorms, who can deny their power and beauty? The sound of the cicadas is music to my ears. The sight of bats dancing across the sky at sunset picking off bugs never ceases to thrill. I could go on and on.

Some of it involves my summer routine, including regular trips to the beach, beach bars, the Martin Luther King Jr. Pool and the farmers markets.

Some of it involves food, from mahi tacos and a cold beer on the porch at Poe's Tavern to fresh local tomatoes, cantaloupes, corn and watermelon from Johns Island. And the rest of it involves staying active. For me, summer is high season for triathlon training and competing.

Find your way to love the Lowcountry's least appreciated season and don't fret about the long, hot summer.

Reach David Quick at 937-5516 or dquick@postandcourier.com.