Cottage Season: How to Protect Your Phone at the Lake

Water-resistant is not lake-proof

Most recent phones carry a water-resistance rating, and that's genuinely useful when you get caught in the rain. But those ratings come from controlled lab tests in still, fresh water at a set depth. A lake is different: there's moving water, waves off a passing boat, sand, sediment and depths where a dropped phone may be hard to find.

The seals that keep water out also wear over time, and a phone that has been dropped or has a crack may have lost much of its protection without you knowing. Manufacturers generally treat liquid damage as something they don't cover, so it pays to plan ahead rather than trust the rating.

Gear that actually helps

A waterproof pouch

A good pouch is the single best thing you can bring to the cottage. Look for one with a solid seal, a clear window on both sides for the camera, and room for your phone without the case if it's a tight fit.

Test it before you trust it. Put a dry tissue inside, seal it, and hold it under water in a sink or bucket for a while. If the tissue comes out dry, the pouch is doing its job. Check the seal for sand or grit every time you close it.

A floating strap or float

Phones sink, and lake bottoms can be deep, weedy or murky. A foam float or floating lanyard keeps the phone on the surface where you can grab it. Make sure the float is rated for the weight of your phone plus its case or pouch.

Tethers for kayaks and paddleboards

A coiled tether that clips to your life jacket or deck lines means a phone that slips out of your hand stays attached to you.

A dry bag for the boat

Keep phones that aren't in use zipped inside a dry bag, not loose in a cup holder or on a seat where spray and rainwater collect.

Cottage habits that save phones

• Mind the dock. The gaps between boards are wide enough to swallow a phone. Don't set it down on the edge or carry it in a back pocket while you climb in and out of boats.
• Leave it on shore for water sports. Tubing, waterskiing and wakeboarding are no place for a phone, even in a pouch.
• Watch your hands. Sunscreen and bug spray can be hard on phone coatings and seals. Wipe your hands before you pick it up.
• Keep it out of the sun. A phone left on a dock or boat seat in the sun can overheat. Keep it shaded in a bag.
• Hand it to the dry person. If someone is staying on shore, let them take the photos.

Lake water vs tap water

Lake water isn't clean in the way tap water is. It carries fine sand, silt, algae and other organic material. When it dries inside a phone, it can leave residue on connectors and circuit boards, and that residue can lead to corrosion over time. That's why a phone that seems fine after a dunk in the lake can start acting up days or weeks later.

If your phone goes in the lake

1. Get it out quickly. The less time it spends underwater, the better.
2. Power it off if it's still on, and don't press buttons to test it.
3. Don't charge it or plug anything into it until it's completely dry.
4. Remove the case and wipe the outside with a soft, lint-free cloth.
5. Tap it gently against your palm with the charging port facing down to let water drain.
6. Leave it to dry somewhere dry with some airflow. Skip the hair dryer, the oven and the bowl of rice. Our post on the wet phone rice myth explains why.
7. Get it checked when you're back, even if it seems to work. Sediment and residue don't dry out on their own.

For a fuller walk-through, including warning signs to watch for after the phone dries, see our water damage guide.

Need a hand?

Cottage country is outside our area, but once you're back home we can take a look. A certified woman technician comes to your home, workplace or parked car across our service area, from Milton and Halton Hills to Mississauga, Brampton and Toronto. She'll check the phone, give you a free quote before any work starts and test it with you after the repair. Learn more about our water damage repair, or call or WhatsApp (365) 351-4247.

Frequently asked questions

Keep reading