Paddling in cold water
Very few realize that cold shock reaches its most intense level in water temperatures between 50°F and 60°F.
PADDLING SAFE IN COLD WEATHER
Every spring, we hear stories of people getting into trouble on the water. Stories of experienced paddlers and strong swimmers who couldn’t rescue themselves. Stories that too often end in tragedy. While the days are getting longer and the air is getting warmer, the water temperature is still extremely dangerous.
If you do find yourself in a cold water immersion (head out of the water) or submersion (head in the water) situation, your body will experience a series of physiological responses.
Immersion or submersion in cold water induces a physiological response called the Gasp Reflex. This sudden and uncontrollable gasping for air lasts for one to three minutes in most people. It is very important to keep your head out of the water while this is happening. If you experience a complete submersion the gasp may draw water into your lungs and you will drown. Wearing a lifejacket or personal flotation device (PFD) provides buoyancy and helps keep your head out of the water. You will not be able to rescue yourself and these first few minutes should be used to try to control your breathing and keeping your head out of the water. It’s scary, but it will pass.
Watch a video about surviving in cold water conditions
Thermal protection helps to reduce the shock of cold water immersion/submersion. Two popular options are wetsuits, made from neoprene, and drysuits, made from one of many waterproof/breathable materials. Wetsuits are designed to warm a thin layer of water between the neoprene and your skin. Conversely, drysuits keep water away from your skin and your clothing underneath stays dry. Both of these options must be worn with a PFD – you have enough to worry about in cold water without being concerned with staying afloat.
Once you have your breathing under control you have about ten minutes before you experience Cold Incapacitation. These precious minutes are critical as this is your chance to self rescue. You have about ten minutes to help yourself out of the situation that you’re in. Having appropriate rescue equipment and training is now well worth the investment. After 10 minutes, your body redirects warm blood from your arms and legs to your core to keep your vital organs alive.
The next response is Hypothermia, which is defined as a drop in your body’s core temperature. You are hypothermic when your body temperature drops only two degrees Celsius. After your body becomes incapacitated and your core temperature is dropping, you are waiting for rescue. Mobility is reduced and your window to help yourself is over. Get as much of your body out of the water as possible and stay still. You lose heat 25 times faster in water and up to 100 times faster if you are moving. You will survive in cold water for an hour or more if you do not drown.
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Kwa mfano, kuogelea katika maji baridi ni jambo la kawaida, lakini ni watu wachache sana wanaotambua kwamba mshtuko wa baridi hufikia kiwango chake cha juu zaidi wakati maji yanapokuwa na joto la kati ya 50 ° F na 60 ° F. Kila mwaka katika majira ya kuchipua, tunasikia hadithi za watu wanaopata matatizo kwenye maji. Hadithi za wapiga-mbizi wenye uzoefu na waogeleaji wenye nguvu ambao hawakuweza kujiokoa. Hadithi ambazo mara nyingi huishia kwa msiba. Wakati siku zinapokuwa ndefu na hewa inakuwa ya joto zaidi, halijoto ya maji bado ni hatari sana. Ikiwa wewe ni katika hali ya kuzamishwa kwa maji baridi (kichwa nje ya maji) au kuzamishwa (kichwa ndani ya maji), mwili wako utapata majibu kadhaa ya kisaikolojia. Kuzamishwa au kuzamishwa ndani ya maji baridi husababisha mwitikio wa kisaikolojia unaoitwa Gasp Reflex. Katika watu wengi, kukosa pumzi kwa ghafula na bila kudhibiti huendelea kwa dakika moja hadi tatu. Ni muhimu sana kuweka kichwa chako nje ya maji wakati hii inatokea. Ikiwa utazama kuzama kabisa, pumzi ya hewa inaweza kuvuta maji kwenye mapafu yako na utazama kuzama. Kwa kutumia kitambaa cha kuokoa uhai au kifaa cha kuelea cha kibinafsi (PFD), unaweza kuokoa maisha yako na kuokoa maisha yako. Usiweze kujikomboa mwenyewe na dakika hizi chache za kwanza zinapaswa kutumiwa kujaribu kudhibiti pumzi yako na kuweka kichwa chako nje ya maji. Ni ya kuogopesha, lakini itapita. Kuhifadhi joto kwa maji baridi: Ulinzi wa joto husaidia kupunguza mshtuko wa kuzamishwa kwa maji baridi. Chaguo mbili maarufu ni suti za maji, zilizotengenezwa kwa neoprene, na suti kavu, zilizotengenezwa kwa mojawapo ya vifaa vingi visivyoweza kuingizwa maji au kuvumilia hewa. Mavazi ya kuogelea yametengenezwa ili kupasha joto tabaka nyembamba la maji kati ya neoprene na ngozi yako. Kwa upande mwingine, suti kavu huweka maji mbali na ngozi yako na nguo zako chini ya ngozi hukaa kavu. Chaguo zote mbili lazima kuvaa na PFD <unk> una kutosha kuwa na wasiwasi kuhusu katika maji baridi bila kuwa na wasiwasi na kukaa juu ya maji. Mara tu unapopata pumzi yako chini ya udhibiti una takriban dakika kumi kabla ya kupata Ulemavu wa Baridi. Dakika hizi zenye thamani ni muhimu kwa kuwa hii ni nafasi yako ya kujiokoa. Una takriban dakika kumi za kujisaidia kutoka katika hali uliyo nayo. Kuwa na vifaa vinavyofaa vya kuokoa na mafunzo sasa ni jambo linalofaa kuwekeza. Baada ya dakika kumi, mwili wako hupeleka damu ya joto kutoka mikono na miguu yako hadi kwenye moyo wako ili kuhifadhi viungo vyako muhimu. Jibu linalofuata ni Hypothermia, ambayo hufafanuliwa kama kushuka kwa joto la ndani la mwili wako. Unakuwa na hypothermia wakati joto la mwili wako linaposhuka digrii mbili tu za Selsiasi. Baada ya mwili wako kuwa na uwezo na joto lako la ndani linashuka, unangojea kuokolewa. Uwezo wako wa kusonga unapungua na nafasi yako ya kujisaidia imekwisha. Kuchukua sehemu kubwa ya mwili wako nje ya maji kama iwezekanavyo na kukaa bado. Inasemekana kwamba joto la mwili hufifia mara 25 kwa kasi zaidi katika maji na mara 100 kwa kasi zaidi wakati wa kusonga. Unaweza kuishi katika maji baridi kwa saa moja au zaidi ikiwa huogopi. Kama wewe ni curious kuhusu vipengele, jaribio bure, au hata vyombo vya habari, sisi ni hapa kujibu maswali yoyote.