Swimming in cold water

Micheal Artindale said:

If someone were to attempt to swim a long distance, over 50km in cold fresh
water (5 C) would a typical person be able to consume enough calories to
maintain a safe body temperature, or would that person still eventually
succumb to hypothermia?

Any ideas where I can get more information on it?

Thanks

Micheal

a) 50k is a VERY long swim.

b) 5 degreees centigrade is VERY cold water.

Typical times to death are on the order of seconds (due to cold shock) to
minutes (due to rapid hypothermia).

"_" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Micheal Artindale said:

If someone were to attempt to swim a long distance, over 50km in cold
fresh
water (5 C) would a typical person be able to consume enough calories to
maintain a safe body temperature, or would that person still eventually
succumb to hypothermia?

Any ideas where I can get more information on it?

Thanks

Micheal

a) 50k is a VERY long swim.

b) 5 degreees centigrade is VERY cold water.

Typical times to death are on the order of seconds (due to cold shock) to
minutes (due to rapid hypothermia).

This realy doesnt answer my question. I knew a&b. I am trying to find out if
food, or something you eat/drink could give you enough energy for your body
to creat enough heat to avoid severe hypothermia.

Micheal

What would Lynn Cox do?

On Jul 16, 8:11 pm, _ <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Micheal Artindale said:

If someone were to attempt to swim a long distance, over 50km in cold fresh
water (5 C) would a typical person be able to consume enough calories to
maintain a safe body temperature, or would that person still eventually
succumb to hypothermia?

Quoted message said:

Any ideas where I can get more information on it?

Quoted message said:

Thanks

Quoted message said:

Micheal

a) 50k is a VERY long swim.

b) 5 degreees centigrade is VERY cold water.

Typical times to death are on the order of seconds (due to cold shock) to
minutes (due to rapid hypothermia).

"Micheal Artindale" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:4hUmi.40787$Io4.38754@edtnps89...

Quoted message said:

"_" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Micheal Artindale said:

If someone were to attempt to swim a long distance, over 50km in cold
fresh
water (5 C) would a typical person be able to consume enough calories to
maintain a safe body temperature, or would that person still eventually
succumb to hypothermia?

Any ideas where I can get more information on it?

Thanks

Micheal

a) 50k is a VERY long swim.

b) 5 degreees centigrade is VERY cold water.

Typical times to death are on the order of seconds (due to cold shock) to
minutes (due to rapid hypothermia).

This realy doesnt answer my question. I knew a&b. I am trying to find out
if food, or something you eat/drink could give you enough energy for your
body to creat enough heat to avoid severe hypothermia.

Micheal

Nazi "scientist" asked the same questions during WW11. They performed the
experiments on prisoners (mostly Jews and Gypsies) and compiled data to try
and use for the German Navy and Air Force.
I believe the rest of the story goes like this. These "scientists" were
spared war criminal persecution after the war was over because they shared
the data and worked for the allied victors.

The data is out there.

Who swims in 5' water? You crazy?

cardarch said:

What would Lynn Cox do?

It's Lynne, and she did, many times.

On Jul 17, 1:11 am, _ <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

a) 50k is a VERY long swim.

b) 5 degreees centigrade is VERY cold water.

Typical times to death are on the order of seconds (due to cold shock) to
minutes (due to rapid hypothermia).

Agreed on both. This sounds like a much tougher challenge than
swimming the English Channel during the winter (about 33km, similar
temperature). Looking around on the web, I find no evidence that
anyone has ever achieved this feat, all FAQs and other information I
could find emphasised the cold, but listed summer temps of 16C or so.
Even with the considerable preparation (e.g. gaining weight, massive
training schedules) recommended, only about 10% of people who try to
swim the channel succeed, and that's in the summer.

On Jul 17, 1:43 am, "Micheal Artindale" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

"_" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
This realy doesnt answer my question. I knew a&b. I am trying to find out if
food, or something you eat/drink could give you enough energy for your body
to creat enough heat to avoid severe hypothermia.

Micheal

Why don't you find out if anyone has swum the English Channel in
winter? If it were possible, I'd guess that someone would have managed
it.

On Jul 17, 2:43 am, "Micheal Artindale" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

"_" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Mon, 16 Jul 2007 21:47:38 GMT, Micheal Artindale wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

If someone were to attempt to swim a long distance, over 50km in cold
fresh
water (5 C) would a typical person be able to consume enough calories to
maintain a safe body temperature, or would that person still eventually
succumb to hypothermia?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Any ideas where I can get more information on it?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Thanks

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Micheal

Quoted message said:

a) 50k is a VERY long swim.

Quoted message said:

b) 5 degreees centigrade is VERY cold water.

Quoted message said:

Typical times to death are on the order of seconds (due to cold shock) to
minutes (due to rapid hypothermia).

This realy doesnt answer my question. I knew a&b. I am trying to find out if
food, or something you eat/drink could give you enough energy for your body
to creat enough heat to avoid severe hypothermia.

Micheal

Well, the freezing point of alcohol is -117C, so drink a bottle of
Stoly and you might last a hundred meters.

"Micheal Artindale" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:_HRmi.40750$Io4.28603@edtnps89...

Quoted message said:

If someone were to attempt to swim a long distance, over 50km in cold
fresh water (5 C) would a typical person be able to consume enough
calories to maintain a safe body temperature, or would that person still
eventually succumb to hypothermia?

Any ideas where I can get more information on it?

Thanks

Micheal

50km in 5c? - no you'd die.
Read " Essentials of Sea Survival " by Dr. Frank Golden and Dr Michael
Tipton. ISBN 0-7360-0215-4.

"Brian Foster" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Micheal Artindale" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:4hUmi.40787$Io4.38754@edtnps89...

Quoted message said:

"_" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

On Mon, 16 Jul 2007 21:47:38 GMT, Micheal Artindale wrote:

> If someone were to attempt to swim a long distance, over 50km in cold
> fresh
> water (5 C) would a typical person be able to consume enough calories
> to
> maintain a safe body temperature, or would that person still eventually
> succumb to hypothermia?
>
> Any ideas where I can get more information on it?
>
> Thanks
>
> Micheal

a) 50k is a VERY long swim.

b) 5 degreees centigrade is VERY cold water.

Typical times to death are on the order of seconds (due to cold shock)
to
minutes (due to rapid hypothermia).

This realy doesnt answer my question. I knew a&b. I am trying to find out
if food, or something you eat/drink could give you enough energy for your
body to creat enough heat to avoid severe hypothermia.

Micheal

Nazi "scientist" asked the same questions during WW11. They performed the
experiments on prisoners (mostly Jews and Gypsies) and compiled data to
try and use for the German Navy and Air Force.
I believe the rest of the story goes like this. These "scientists" were
spared war criminal persecution after the war was over because they shared
the data and worked for the allied victors.

The data is out there.

Some of the results are quoted in "" Essentials of Sea Survival " by Dr.
Frank Golden and Dr Michael
Tipton. ISBN 0-7360-0215-4.
The majority of the results seem to relate to the revival of near-dead
hypothermia victims, and the main finding was a confirmation of what the
British navy were also discovering through other means at the same time,
that revival of severe hypothermia cases is more likely to be successful if
done very slowly and gradually, using mostly the victim's own body heat,
rather than hot baths etc, as rapid heating carries cold blood from the
exterior vessels to internal organs, causing shock and heart attacks. Most
of the nazi experiments were not aiming at extended survival techniques as
such, but revival techniques. For survival they, like everyone else, relied
on waterproof clothing / better life rafts etc., and most importantly rapid
rescue.
None of the results is any use to anyone contemplating a 50km swim in 5c
water, except to try to dissuade him from doing such a suicidal thing.
Are you sure the lakes are that cold in summer? I thought they warmed up a
lot more eventually.

On Jul 16, 3:47 pm, "Micheal Artindale" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

If someone were to attempt to swim a long distance, over 50km in cold fresh
water (5 C) would a typical person be able to consume enough calories to
maintain a safe body temperature, or would that person still eventually
succumb to hypothermia?

Any ideas where I can get more information on it?

Thanks

Micheal

try to get a hold of the book swimming to antartica by Lynn Cox. Also
get the book by Dianna nyad (don't remember the name). It is not the
food that helps prevent hypothermia. It is the bodies ability to
handle the cold. Lynn cox put on a considerable amount to fat to
handle extremely cold temperatures and get her body slowly accustomed
to the cold. Nyad never put on too much body fat, but didn't do the
super cold swims that cox did.

50 km is a very very long distance. It is virtually impossible to do
for most people even in very nice water.

Andres

(Steve Curtis) said:

cardarch said:

What would Lynn Cox do?

It's Lynne, and she did, many times.

Lynne Cox did swim in water close to freezing temperatures many times.
However, for a few miles only. She always finished exhausted and
extremely cold. she also underwent rigorous training to get her body
used to the cold.

Andres

Quoted post said:

(Steve Curtis) wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

"cardarch" wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

What would Lynn Cox do?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

It's Lynne, and she did, many times.

Quoted message said:

Lynne Cox did swim in water close to
freezing temperatures many times.
However, for a few miles only. She
always finished exhausted and extremely
cold. she also underwent rigorous
training to get her body used to the cold.

Like I said, she did, many times.

In article <[email hidden]>,
"[email hidden]" <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

(Steve Curtis) said:

cardarch said:

What would Lynn Cox do?

It's Lynne, and she did, many times.

Lynne Cox did swim in water close to freezing temperatures many times.
However, for a few miles only. She always finished exhausted and
extremely cold. she also underwent rigorous training to get her body
used to the cold.

Some recent news in the field (lake?) of cold water swimming here:
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6899612.stm>

Those outside the UK might not be able to access the video.
--
congokid
Eating out in London? Read my tips...
http://congokid.com

Quoted message said:

Are you sure the lakes are that cold in summer? I thought they warmed up a
lot more eventually.

http://www.landbigfish.com/watertemps/default.cfm

Lake Superior is the coldest, at somewhere between 40-60F depending on where
in the lake.

Micheal

"MW Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

On Jul 17, 2:43 am, "Micheal Artindale" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

"_" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Mon, 16 Jul 2007 21:47:38 GMT, Micheal Artindale wrote:

Quoted message said:

> If someone were to attempt to swim a long distance, over 50km in cold
> fresh
> water (5 C) would a typical person be able to consume enough calories
> to
> maintain a safe body temperature, or would that person still
> eventually
> succumb to hypothermia?

Quoted message said:

> Any ideas where I can get more information on it?

Quoted message said:

> Thanks

Quoted message said:

> Micheal

Quoted message said:

a) 50k is a VERY long swim.

Quoted message said:

b) 5 degreees centigrade is VERY cold water.

Quoted message said:

Typical times to death are on the order of seconds (due to cold shock)
to
minutes (due to rapid hypothermia).

This realy doesnt answer my question. I knew a&b. I am trying to find out
if
food, or something you eat/drink could give you enough energy for your
body
to creat enough heat to avoid severe hypothermia.

Micheal

Well, the freezing point of alcohol is -117C, so drink a bottle of
Stoly and you might last a hundred meters.

I will do that, if... you get a weight belt that is the same weight as you,
and dive to the bottom of a deep pool wearing it. Do not walk out.

I am not that stupid. If I were I wouldnt have investigated water temps in
the first place.

Micheal

Micheal Artindale said:

"MW Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

On Jul 17, 2:43 am, "Micheal Artindale" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

"_" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:[email hidden]...

> On Mon, 16 Jul 2007 21:47:38 GMT, Micheal Artindale wrote:
>> If someone were to attempt to swim a long distance, over 50km in cold
>> fresh
>> water (5 C) would a typical person be able to consume enough calories
>> to
>> maintain a safe body temperature, or would that person still
>> eventually
>> succumb to hypothermia?
>> Any ideas where I can get more information on it?
>> Thanks
>> Micheal
> a) 50k is a VERY long swim.
> b) 5 degreees centigrade is VERY cold water.
> Typical times to death are on the order of seconds (due to cold shock)
> to
> minutes (due to rapid hypothermia).
This realy doesnt answer my question. I knew a&b. I am trying to find out
if
food, or something you eat/drink could give you enough energy for your
body
to creat enough heat to avoid severe hypothermia.

Micheal

Well, the freezing point of alcohol is -117C, so drink a bottle of
Stoly and you might last a hundred meters.

I will do that, if... you get a weight belt that is the same weight as you,
and dive to the bottom of a deep pool wearing it. Do not walk out.

I am not that stupid. If I were I wouldnt have investigated water temps in
the first place.

You didn't investigate at all, or you would have found the information
you were looking for. It is easily available online with a simple google
search. You never look for the information yourself, and you aren't
going to swim across any of the Great Lakes. You didn't even do the much
shorter lake swim you said you were going to do last year. Why don't you
try that one first. Swimming across a lake the size of even the smallest
of the Great Lakes is something only an accomplished distance swimmer
would attempt. Do you consider yourself a distance swimmer? What is the
longest distance you have swum without stopping?

Quoted message said:

You didn't investigate at all, or you would have found the information you
were looking for. It is easily available online with a simple google
search. You never look for the information yourself, and you aren't going
to swim across any of the Great Lakes. You didn't even do the much shorter
lake swim you said you were going to do last year. Why don't you try that
one first. Swimming across a lake the size of even the smallest of the
Great Lakes is something only an accomplished distance swimmer would
attempt. Do you consider yourself a distance swimmer? What is the longest
distance you have swum without stopping?

He's a dreamer. He likes to posit tough questions but he has no intention of
following through. Like I said, a dreamer.

Pat in TX

"Pat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

You didn't investigate at all, or you would have found the information
you were looking for. It is easily available online with a simple google
search. You never look for the information yourself, and you aren't going
to swim across any of the Great Lakes. You didn't even do the much
shorter lake swim you said you were going to do last year. Why don't you
try that one first. Swimming across a lake the size of even the smallest
of the Great Lakes is something only an accomplished distance swimmer
would attempt. Do you consider yourself a distance swimmer? What is the
longest distance you have swum without stopping?

He's a dreamer. He likes to posit tough questions but he has no intention
of following through. Like I said, a dreamer.

Pat in TX

I will atempt it. Just not for a few years.