Hypothermia

You should also read this article: www.10kswimmer.com/search I know what symptoms that I get early on when cold water swimming so as to know when to get out. I get the "claw" in my left hand. My hand tightens down like a claw, so when that starts, time to get to shore! This so far has only happened when I have been swimming in temps in the mid-50's after close to an hour. You need to know your own body & limits, & yes, damadge can be permanent!

I swam Alcatraz a year ago,,the water at the island was 52,..57 in Aquatic Park. It took me 53 minutes ( no wet-suit)..I felt great on the entire swim, but when I got out and my heart rate dropped, I could just barely talk, and had extreme shivers. I was in a steam room within 20 minutes and it took me an hour to get back to normal. The picture you see next to my post is me getting out in Aquatic Park. I always wear a white rash guard top ( so that I`m visible ) The year before I swam it in a wet suit, with a water temp of 60....piece of cake,..I was starting to get hot. Yes,..I`m, doing it again June 6,...nekkid!

I wrote this post here last year about my experience getting used to cold water in Ireland & one brush with mild hypothermia. forums.usms.org/showthread.php I've often been deeply cold and taken a long time to recover, but actual hypothermia occurs less than you'd maybe imagine. With memory loss, no co-ordination etc I was still in "mild" hypothermia. Most times I'm just really really cold. Water hasn;t gotten about 63F here in Ireland where I live in 2 years. A 4 mile race in the warm SW recently with 60 or so swimmers where it was about 65F was like heaven. Not one of us complained of cold.