Considering the proportion of drownings
where alcohol is involved, one wonders whether a somewhat depressed nervous system was a factor in response to chilly water.
I pulled a dead person out of our local river, which is almost always rather cold. He had left a raft to retrieve something he dropped in the water. He went down under apparent control, but never came up. Four days later, his body had acquired enough flotation to make it to the shallows a couple of hundred yards downstream.
happened to me that way also
Jumping into Lake Superior off a rock in midsummer. Just locked my lungs instantly.
happened
to me while scuba diving… We were in Florda and I put my 2 mill wet suit on early… I thought we were just about to the dive site. I ended up over heating alittle… When I jumped into the colder water, I thought I was going to have a proublem… Took a few minutes to settle down. Good thing I had my reg in my mouth.
jb
Question…
Jerrysmith’s post reminds me of something I read long ago - don’t recall where - and I wonder if any of you guys have heard of it.
My recollection is of an account of someone (in Alaska?) doing a “polar plunge” or perhaps a sauna swim where the person dove into icy waters and described a classic gasp response. Had to be fished out and resuscitated. Everyone else went in feet first, had no problems, and acted as if only a fool would dive into icy waters, but that taking the shock going in feet first was nothing much out of the ordinary. Apparently there’s some very rapid physiological response that “prepares” a person somehow in the time it takes for the cold to go from foot to head?? Anyone else ever hear of this? I’ve never seen anyone do a head first dive at any polar plunge or as part of the UP sauna ritual. And that seems like the dif in Jerrysmith’s swims…
Personally, I’ve swum in ice water a few times and never had the gasp response, though while swimming in from a tip-over once my chest felt definitely “tight” and in retrospect my breathing might have been shallower than usual. I don’t think this means a thing about the next time though… It could very well be a “Russian Roulette” kind of deal.
I think the hypothermia threat after getting ashore isn’t talked about enough. Just getting out of the water is not the same as being safe. One needs to get dry and heated - fast. Thebob’s story illustrates what I’m thinking of. So did the situation a few folks got into a couple years ago at out annual New Year’s paddle. Their clothes were literally freezing solid before they got to a car and they needed help to open the car door. And the car wasn’t all that warm either.
But I also think its a threat that is sometimes, as g2d implies, overemphasized. Falling in cold water is not a certain death sentence. Come to think of it, folks have been doing it since the last ice age at least. Many made it. I bet I know about as many folks that have had a “through the ice experience” of some sort as not. There are probably evolutionary physiological responses to this very situation. Its damned uncomfortable always, nobody wants to do it again if they can help it, is more dangerous than something we want to do routinely, to be sure, but its usually survivable.
I just don’t like to push my luck too much. I’m not sure my heart can take it as I grow older. And I prefer to be at least a little comfortable.
Nerves and body
– Last Updated: Jan-25-13 8:12 PM EST –
Perhaps nerves in the face are more sensitive
than those of the feet which we walk upon daily...
http://www.breatheology.com/services/articles/freediving/the-mammalian-diving-reflex
Results appear to vary among people
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2188331
Notice the various other studies listed on the
right-hand-side of that 2nd link.
PubMed has reports of a neurally mediated
cold shock-like response.
Too true
Did this also in Monterey Bay on certification dives. You think you’ve acclimated to the cold, but once that mask comes off, it is a rude awakening as to how cold the water actually is. Did this at about 35’ the first time, so was above the first thermocline which seems to be between 40-50 feet down.
Even though the water was colder when we did this at 60 feet, I was prepared during the subsequent dives, so other than a first deep breath, all was well.
Rick
Admit it, Pilgrims
Foyst time some o’ yer suddenly fell inta cold water beside havin’ de “gaspin’ reflex” yer may have also had a majoor reflex on de other end… sphincter pucker! Ah’ know’s ah’ did.
FE
Yup
Another evolutionary physiological response that keeps us from filling with water and sinking like a stone. But we digress…
It may depend on the individual
To hear some tell it, jumping in very cold water is a virtual death sentence.
Not. I’ve done it, didn’t die (unless I’m posting from beyond the grave… oooooh… ghostly moans) and I dind’t inhale water. Swam in my underwear across a pond in Yosemite that was full of snowmelt water. Did it because a cute girl I liked did it first. =]
Was it cold as all hell? Yup. Was it ‘bracing’? Yup. But, no water inhalation… zip, zilch, nada.
It was also only a few hundred yards, and we were coming back from having hiked Half Dome, so we were both in more than decent physical condition at the time, I’d say. And I was 30 at the time, she was mid-20s.
Would I want to do such a swim if I weren’t in shape? Nope. Or as a (likely more vulnerable) senior citizen? Probably not. It’s interesting that as I’ve gotten older I note that my tolerance, while still good, does seem to be a bit less than what it was.
Now in my 40s, I notice that when I do cold water rescue practice and the water temp is in the low 50s or less, that first dunk feels kinda like I’m getting tackled by a strong safety. Almost knocks the wind out of you, but I don’t find myself continually gasping and inhaling water.
Is it possible that some people are just naturally more prone than others to ‘gasp reflex’ and water inhalation upon experiencing cold water shock? Yes, certainly, and for that reason alone the danger shouldn’t be underestimated or pooh-poohed (which is not what I’m doing here).
But if you have a good idea of what your individual tolerance is for sudden cold water exposure, and you know from experience that gasp reflex is not a big thing with you, I’m not sure you should be quaking with fear… rather instead, maybe take a look around at your group if you get suddenly dumped into cold water.
Because if a rogue wave took you out, then probably it took someone else out too, and maybe they don’t have your kind of tolerance. Though everyone wearing a PFD certainly helps prevent ‘they went down and never came back up again’ syndrome. That and not drinking before boating. =0
Anyway, that’s my take. Cue someone gravely intoning, “You’ve been very lucky and cheated the reaper many times, my boy. Oooooooo.” ghostly moans