Survival in Cold Water

Oh, the weather outside is frightful! Tropical weather would sure be delightful! However, that's one thing that Santa can't bring this year, unless it involves a plane ticket!

For those of you that are getting a late start cruising your boat south this year, your deferred schedule gives you one more thing to think about. That is, survival in cold water. While we don't anticipate doing any swimming outside this time of year, we all know someone who has involuntarily gone over the side.

If you find yourself in cold water, there are a few "do's and don'ts" to consider. Once immersed in frigid water, it is a little late to try to reason out what might be the appropriate course of action to ensure your survival. A common misconception is that physical activity will keep your body temperature up while in cold water. Not so!

Hypothermia, the most common cause of fatalities among victims of shipwrecks, is defined as the "lowering of the body's core temperature." What actually happens is that below a certain body temperature, your basic bodily functions begin to shut down, which can ultimately lead to death. In cold water, physical activity is the last thing that you should engage in.

Imagine that you put two rocks in a campfire long enough for them to become red-hot. Then, take them both out. Put one of them in front of an electric fan. Put the other in a pot of cold water. The rock in front of the fan will be hot for quite a while. The rock in the cold water will be cool in a few seconds.

The ability of water to cool something down is infinitely greater than the ability of air. Once you are in the water, any heat generated by physical activity will be miniscule as compared to the effect of the cold water in lowering your body temperature. The idea is to remain as motionless as is possible.

There are some precautions that you can take in the event that you think you will end up in the cold water. First, wear as much clothing as possible, short of restricting necessary movement. Concentrate on your hands, feet, head and neck, where much of your body heat may easily be lost. Button, zip and otherwise close up every opening before entering the water. Of course, these precautions are not feasible for an accidental fall overboard.

Once in the water, any unnecessary movement will cause you to "pump" warmer water out of your clothing. That warmer water will be displaced by colder water. The more motion there is, the more warm water will be "pumped" out. Less motion is better, except for purposes like attracting the attention of potential rescuers, etc.

In the event that there are several persons in the water, it is helpful to get into a "huddle" which will create a slightly warmer pocket of water in the center. Every little bit helps. Most people will become unconscious in 33-degree water in about 15 minutes and will expire in between 15 and 45 minutes. In 40 to 50 degree water, most people will be unconscious in 1-2 hours and will expire in 1-6 hours.

Cold water is something to be reckoned with. Be careful!

Until next time, I wish you clear skies, fair winds, and calm seas!