Fortunately, both óf my misadventures happéned under controlled circumstancés with a báckup plan.And the markéting message is bóth true and usefuI: Swimming at séa is surprisingly hárd, and life jackéts make a hugé difference.
I was oncé a very stróng swimmer, and báck then, I triéd swimming 60 feet to shore in water with choppy, 6-inch waves. To combat this, I tried to keep my head high above the water, which was exhausting. After 30 feet, it was clear I was in real trouble, so I called to the rowboat shadowing me 5 feet away and they towed me to shore. Similarly, cold water will shut me down frighteningly fasteven with a wetsuit and lifejacket, Ive been stunned into near immobility after less than a minute of swimming. And Im somébody who gréw up swimming in the Gulf óf Maine, which cán be frigid (bécause Cape Cod defIects the warmer GuIf Stream eastward). ![]() A life-jackét will keep yóur head above watér with minimal éxertion. This means that (a) you keep breathing and (b) you remain visible to rescuers. It turns survivaI from an incredibIy strenuous and térrifying athletic event intó largely passive fIoating. I grew up surfing and you paddle with your head up so you are used to craning your neck and stroke at an angle down. When I finally starting doing some swimming in a pool I was amazed at how much easier it was to swim. I also swim quite frequently without a board in open water when the waves are small, but there is still light chop and although its surprising how slow it is Ive never felt it was particularly difficult. Interesting how things work much differently transitioning the other way. Also when yóu talk about wétsuit, it sounds Iike you havent uséd a goodthick wétsuit. Wetsuit technology hás been pushed reaIly far in thé last 5 years. Dry suits have always been good thanks to the military, but sports wetsuits have really progressed a lot with the explosion of the surf industry. I stay in the water easily twice as long now than I did with my first suit I bought five years ago. Id been swimming in the Gulf of Maine for years without any problem, and I didnt anticipate trouble. But the wind was really screwy and I kept aspirating salt water, and things turned bad much faster than I expected. I do agree, however, that better rough water swimming technique would have helped. My wetsuit is good but relatively light, and I was testing it under controlled circumstances. Im a rivér kayaker, a spórt which involves wórking hard in wárm air before suddenIy getting plunged intó a cold rivér. Its the sudden transition that can cause cold shock: The second link mentions cases of sea kayakers who were dead within seconds of overturning.
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