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Cold Water Shock

H

hgsouth

OTF status
Apr 15, 2006
182
8
18
I had a strange experience the other day down here in SD. Was in my normal 4/3 although hadn't surfed in about 3 weeks. First duckdive and I started gasping for air / hyperventilating. Couple more duckdives and could not get it under control. I had to get out.

I've since gotten a cap and that has helped 100%. However, WTF? I've never had this problem before - just once while surfing in Monterrey where the water was probably about 50 or below. The SD water looks like it got to about 59/60. Usually I would just get an ice cream headache, not this hyperventilation. What gives?
 
S

surfflexx

Nep status
Jan 28, 2004
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usa
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Cold-water shock is a natural response to cold water and the rapid response to your skin cooling, hyperventilation can then cause panic. Maybe 3 weeks from being in the water had that effect on you or maybe you’re just sensitive to cold water. If you want to acclimate yourself better then you need to spend more time in cold water, like going into the water with just your trunks for 5 minutes at a time. Adapting to cold water is both psychological and physiological. Physically sending extended time in cold water like open water swimmers do it is critical for adapting to cold water. Physiologically you need to love it and some people never do. My wife is a competitive triathlete and she wears a full wetsuit when she does her training in a 69 degree pool and comes out and her lips are blue from the cold. I on the other hand love it and I find swimming in only my suit in cold waters 52-59 is fantastic for reducing inflammation especially for my lower back disorders. One thing for sure is you did the right thing, if you don’t feel comfortable get out of the water. Good luck!
 
SurfDoc

SurfDoc

Michael Peterson status
Dec 19, 2002
2,164
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ex-pat Huntington Beach
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Salt water and cold temperatures can also cause laryngospasm/bronchospasm sort of like a large airway asthma attack. In Australia they test for this prior to allowing scuba diving lessons.

Duke K surfed Santa Cruz without a wetsuit. Tough man.
 
Ifallalot

Ifallalot

Duke status
Dec 17, 2008
88,766
17,862
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You're not the only one.

Sometimes I start gagging like I'm going to puke also
 
J

JDJ

Miki Dora status
Mar 1, 2014
4,879
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The OC
Ear plugs help a lot with that. I had what you're describing and my symptoms went away completely when using earplugs. We should all be using those anyway, so it's a win-win.
 
S

Sanzabar

Legend (inyourownmind)
Feb 24, 2009
543
0
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ear plugs ???

similar tale in OBX, got stuck in the impact zone with no breath, no paddle & no where to go, somehow floated out, gasping & dying, caught a wave, got barreled off my nut & landed on the beach panting like a spent hound dog, glad to be alive
 
GromsDad

GromsDad

Duke status
Jan 21, 2014
54,669
16,525
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West of the Atlantic. East of the ICW.
The water in S/D isn't even cold. Perhaps the OP should go see a cardiologist and get checked out. Can't hurt. He didn't say his age.

I've had issues in brutal cold conditions but I'm talking water and air in the 30s. When I've had that feeling I've blamed it on the constricting effect of the 5mm suit and that in mid-winter I'm usually about 15 pounds overweight. I'm also a 46 y/o old fart.

I think thick tight wetsuits put an extra burden on your cardio system.
 
Ifallalot

Ifallalot

Duke status
Dec 17, 2008
88,766
17,862
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Under 60° is cold regardless. Its not 30°, but you'd still get hypothermia in the time of a surf session if you didn't have a wetsuit

 
PPK96754

PPK96754

Miki Dora status
Apr 15, 2015
4,699
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Kauai's north shore ~
mmmmm? Not sure how we survived without a wetsuit in the 1960's. Perhaps it was because we could knee paddle on longboards. The Lane, Cowels. Rincon, "Campus Point". Never owned a beavertail scuba *top* wetsuit, though was happy when the farmer john came out.

:confused2:
 
J

JDJ

Miki Dora status
Mar 1, 2014
4,879
5,173
113
The OC
PPK96754 said:
mmmmm? Not sure how we survived without a wetsuit in the 1960's. Perhaps it was because we could knee paddle on longboards. The Lane, Cowels. Rincon, "Campus Point". Never owned a beavertail scuba *top* wetsuit, though was happy when the farmer john came out.

:confused2:
Click to expand...
You guys are more hardcore than today's surfer, PPK. Much respect to anyone surfing those spots in the winter with no wetsuit.
 
flyinraptr

flyinraptr

Michael Peterson status
Dec 18, 2008
2,830
1,507
113
San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
PPK96754 said:
mmmmm? Not sure how we survived without a wetsuit in the 1960's. Perhaps it was because we could knee paddle on longboards. The Lane, Cowels. Rincon, "Campus Point". Never owned a beavertail scuba *top* wetsuit, though was happy when the farmer john came out.

:confused2:
Click to expand...
Not sure how you survived either but it could easily explain the surfer population explosion of the 70's and beyond. Surfers in the sixties had low reproduction rates due to their nuts were continually having to thaw out between surf sessions. :hat:
 
C

Chee-to

Michael Peterson status
Jan 11, 2002
2,428
973
113
Pee in your wetsuit first, then splash some cold water on your face on the way in. That way you get a nice median temperature plus the mammalian dive reflex going at the same time.
 
H

huryanpost

Michael Peterson status
Dec 9, 2010
2,458
303
83
Upwelling. From secret sea caves deep from deep below. Giant squid territory.
 
S

Sanzabar

Legend (inyourownmind)
Feb 24, 2009
543
0
0
huryanpost said:
Upwelling. From secret sea caves deep from deep below. Giant squid territory.
Click to expand...
beware of the creatures lurking in the sea caves
https://youtu.be/GffhXrdG9yM
 
H

hgsouth

OTF status
Apr 15, 2006
182
8
18
I am prone to anxiety / skipped heart beats and had a full-fledged heart workup done a few years ago and came back perfectly fine. Will mention it again to my doctor but could have been a mild panic attack of sorts as well. Haven't worn the cap recently and haven't had the issue again. Might have just been a weird upwelling or something as that DID happen to me once before in Monterrey. I'm also pretty thin and don't tolerate cold well in general.

It was nice to have that protection over the ears though...might invest in some ear plugs.
 
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