The Victoria Day long weekend is the unofficial start of summer along the south shore. Boats slide back into the bay, the fishing opener is in the rear-view, the first proper barbecue smell drifts down Main Street, and the cottages and trailers fill up for the first big push of the year. It's a good weekend. It's also a weekend our pharmacy team sees a small but predictable wave of preventable problems — the kind that come from things sitting in storage for seven months. Here's our opening-weekend checklist.

Dig out the cottage and boat first aid kit — and check the dates

The kit that lived in the boat shed or the cottage cupboard all winter is rarely in great shape by May. Damp from a cold winter, expired tubes of antibiotic ointment, an EpiPen that nobody noticed expired in February. The basics worth having before you head out: assorted bandages, gauze, antiseptic wipes, tweezers (regular and fine-tipped for ticks), a cold pack, hydrocortisone cream, a non-drowsy antihistamine, ibuprofen and acetaminophen, sunscreen, and insect repellent. Drop in and we'll go through it with you. We can also flag what to add if anyone in the family has allergies, diabetes, or a heart condition.

Sun on the water is bigger than the temperature suggests

May sun feels mild because the air is cool, but Lake Nipissing reflects UV right back at you. The first weekend of the season is one of the busiest weekends for sunburns we see all year — people don't think to apply because it doesn't feel hot. Broad-spectrum SPF 30+, a hat, and sunglasses with UV protection should travel everywhere the cooler does. If you take a medication that causes photosensitivity — some antibiotics, several blood-pressure pills, certain acne treatments, even some common antidepressants — the burn risk is much higher than usual. We can pull up your profile and tell you whether anything you're on is on that list.

Blackflies first, then mosquitos — pick the right repellent

The blackflies come on hard in late May around the bay. They go for hairlines, ears, and ankles. The repellents that actually work over a long evening outside are DEET (10–30% for most adults; lower concentrations for kids) and icaridin (picaridin). The natural alternatives smell nicer but their protection windows are short. For young kids, ask us — there are specific guidelines about how often to reapply and where not to use it.

Fishing opener: a few sleeper risks

The fishing opener brings a few injuries we see every May. Fish hooks — if the barb is in past the skin, don't pull it back the way it went in; come see us or head to urgent care. Hypothermia — the lake is still cold enough in mid-May that a fall from the boat is a real emergency, not an inconvenience. Wear the life jacket. Old tetanus shots — if it's been more than ten years since your last booster and you cut yourself on a hook, rusty fitting, or shoreline debris, you'll need one. We can administer Td or Tdap at the pharmacy without an appointment.

Watch out for unsteady ground if you're at higher fall risk

Cottage paths in May are sneaky — soft mud one step, exposed roots the next, and the dock boards aren't always level the first time they go back in. If you or someone you love is at higher fall risk, this is the weekend to think about footwear with real grip, where the walking poles are, and whether any of the medications in the regimen affect balance. Some blood-pressure pills, sedatives, sleep aids, and a few antidepressants do. Bring everything in and we'll walk through it.

One last thing

If something comes up over the weekend — a rash you can't identify, a question about whether you should still take a med after a fall, a symptom you'd usually wait to mention at your next doctor's visit — remember that in Ontario your pharmacist can assess and prescribe for a long list of minor ailments without a separate appointment. That includes allergic rhinitis, hives, pink eye, UTIs, insect bites, poison ivy, and several others. Call us at 705-752-3388, drop in, or message us through the contact page. We'd rather you ask.