Cold Water Paddling
The air is warm but the water is so very cold. You are itching to get out on that water for some Spring Cold Water Paddling.
Do you have the right gear with or on you does your friend?? What is this girl missing?
Nobody else is responsible for your safety—only you. Learn about the water you’ll be on. Never expect that, if you fall in and need assistance that others in your group will be able to rescue you—that puts them in danger. Carry appropriate safety gear which means a PFD, sounding device (whistle) ankle leash, throw bag and the right clothing for the conditions.
You must check the weather for what might be coming at you. Wind, temperature, time of year which can mean extra high water levels and colder from all the run off. Just because it is glass calm now will it be in 30 mins from now. Oh and please tell someone where and when you expect to be back and what direction you are heading. You should also carry a waterproof phone case just in case.
Yes, yes you say you are an incredible swimmer, but now your dog has just jumped off after that duck and dumped you into the lake. He (with no life jkt either) is now swimming towards your mother that isn’t wearing a life jacket in her kayak. The dog wants to get in her boat and you are trying to get the dog away from the kayak as it is about to dump your mother in the water too. Now you are COLD and your muscles are not co-operating
The air temperature is a lovely 26 Celsius and the lake is 10 to 13 Celsius at most. The difference is shocking and make you gasp when you first hit that water. Cold-water shock is the first stage of the sudden and unexpected immersion in water which temperature is of 15 °C or lower and occurs during the first minute of exposure.
Sudden Drowning
Few people realize that water between 50-60F (10-15.5C) can kill you in less than a minute. It’s actually so dangerous that it kills a lot of people within seconds. Not because of hypothermia or incapacitation, but rather because of cold shock and swimming failure.
Cold Shock is the first threat to your survival. It happens the moment that cold water makes contact with a large area of your skin. Not just your face, or your arm, for example, but more like your entire chest and back. A sudden gasp, followed by hyperventilation and a rise in heart rate and blood pressure. This can be a very frightening and intense experience.
Thousands of people have drowned after falling into cold water and a lot of them died before they even had a chance to reach the surface – because if you gasp when your head is under water, you’ll drown.
Incapacitation involves the progressive cooling of your muscles and nerves to the point where they simply stop working. First they get weak, then they get weaker, and finally they don’t work at all. At that point, you’re just hanging helpless in the water in your life jacket, (if you even have it on) unable to move your arms and legs. It’s quite possible to lose the ability to use your hands in 60 seconds, and use of your arms in minutes.
These are scientific and medical facts that so many people seem to ignore when going out on the water. Sadly someone then risks there life to save yours and then loses their life.
I’m constantly shocked by what I see on the water both in inappropriate gear and lacking skills set both from Paddleboarders, kayakers and power boats.
The best way to start is with a lesson from a qualified instructor, learn water safety and ALWAYS wear a PFD!