Ice out was unusually early this year, and that means the season for boating and swimming is starting early, too.

“I think it’s cabin fever. People want to get out on the water,” said Justin Tatum of Minneapolis, who was putting his boat in the water on Lake Minnetonka on Monday.

“The boaters and swimmers are getting on the lake definitely sooner,” said Lt. Rick Rehman with the Hennepin County Water Patrol.

Rehman warns that if you are planning on hitting the beach, it will be weeks before lifeguards are on duty. And another reminder: Water temperatures can be dangerously cold right now, making an emergency situation even worse.

“The water is still very cold. The surface might feel warmer, but it’s still cold and hypothermia can still set in in these waters,” he said.

Rehman says their number one message for the public is to wear life jackets. Minnesota law requires a life jacket for every person on a boat, and kids under the age of 10 must wear them. The Hennepin County Water Patrol has already had to ticket some parents this season.