How dangerous is sea swimming in cold weather, eh Nemo?

...If you're not used to swimming in cold water, the Outdoor Swimming Society recommends that you wear a wetsuit for anything more than a quick dip. It also advises that you:

Don't jump into cold water - instead, wade in slowly
Swim close to the shore
Take warm clothes to put on afterwards as, even in summer, you'll feel colder when you get out
Take extra care in reservoirs, which are deeper and colder than lakes and rivers
Shivering and teeth chattering are the first symptoms of hypothermia. If that happens, get out of the water and warm up.

How dangerous is sea swimming in cold weather, eh Nemo? _79647400_belorussian

How dangerous is sea swimming in cold weather, eh Nemo? _79647400_belorussian

...People who swim regularly in the cold develop resilience and can survive in remarkably hostile conditions. The ice mile is becoming increasingly popular - where people swim for up to 40 minutes in water at 5C or less. America's Lynne Cox once swam across the Bering Strait, and the UK's Lewis Pugh swam a kilometre (0.62 miles) at the North Pole. But these were long distance swimmers who not only acclimatised but seem to have had a special propensity for surviving in cold water.

If you're not used to the cold, a common response is to be initially shocked and fight for breath, says Mark Harper, an anaesthetist who swims in the sea off Brighton. It is this struggling for breath that usually causes people to drown, not hypothermia. "Essentially a couple of litres of water in their lungs, that's what kills people. Waves and not being able to hold your breath." It's why sea swimming can be more dangerous than having a dip somewhere like the Serpentine.

There may be other groups - people with heart disease or asthma or pregnant women - who may also be better off avoiding cold water. Alcohol worsens your body's ability to regulate temperature, although for a short dip a very small amount shouldn't make too much difference, Harper says. But alcohol does raise the risk of drowning significantly. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that alcohol is involved in 70% of recreational drownings. Most swimming experts advise people not to get into the water after drinking.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-30415315

First, jump in a barrel of olive oil.

How dangerous is sea swimming in cold weather, eh Nemo? Images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ9cWFkERKC6bNQAQRFxXaYlj0pK28kFBOao4mFcAQcaDr-HKoR

How dangerous is sea swimming in cold weather, eh Nemo? Images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ9cWFkERKC6bNQAQRFxXaYlj0pK28kFBOao4mFcAQcaDr-HKoR

How dangerous is sea swimming in cold weather, eh Nemo?

How dangerous is sea swimming in cold weather, eh Nemo?

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