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Swimming in Cold Water
Re: drownings
Larry Bussinger <lbussing@…>
04/10/07 #2745
Just one comment about Eriks “swim to shore” remark: I darn near
drowned one time because I could barely swim the 50 ft. to shore.
The water was so cold that my heartrate went to 90% max. That didn't
leave me much excess capacity to swim with. The 50 ft. to shore was
done at max HR for the 2 minutes it took me to get there. It is
really hard. Think 2 or 3 times before you leave your boat to swim
to shore.
Larry Bussinger
Re: drownings
Alan <Alan.Carlsson@…>
04/10/07 #2746
ditto
I was paddling a K1 in my training wheels needed days and fell in less
than 10 m (30 feet) from shore and rapidly shallowed to 1 m deep (3
feet) about 5 m from shore. No wind, funky currents and sunny day.
The water was very cold (a month of so from ice forming- so within 3-4
C of freezing). While I was thrashing to shore with my K1 I lost the
boat when my hands lost gripping strength, and when I stood up I found
my legs didn't work to well and kept falling back in.
When its cold, PFDs and leashes and swimming ability are worth
nothing. Being aware and smart is what will keep you alive.
Ever notice that the more experienced paddlers are more likely to wear
their PFDs and use leashes?
Alan
Re: drownings
Dale McKinnon
04/10/07 #2748
Alan, your story is a perfect portrait of how fast hypothermia sets in. In our NW waters you will lose your body heat 25 times faster when it's in cold water than in cold air. The sooner you get even a part of your upper body out of the water, even draped over the hull of your boat, the longer you have to figure out how to get yourself out of the predicament. Swimming accelerates heat loss by another 50%. Research the stats.
Our first response with a dump is to get to safety, which looks like the shore. And it seems, sooooo close. But if your boat is literally at hand, get your body core out of the water, straddle your boat, drape over it, anything to get as much of yourself out of the water as you can. If it's busted, use it as a paddleboard. Floating in the water alongside your ski while figuring out what to do is not a wise decision in our watery backyard.
However, drysuits drastically alter those stats in our favor. I just wish they weren't so damned hot when you're out there burning off calories. In the summer, fagedaboudit. What's the alternative?
