Cold Water Immersion
Cold water immersion follows a predictable physiological sequence that most boaters have heard abbreviated to "hypothermia kills." The detail is more specific, more useful, and more actionable than that — and understanding it changes what you do before, during, and after entry.
Cold Water Is Not Your Friend — And It Moves Faster Than You Think
Cold water shock happens in seconds, not minutes. Swimming failure follows within ten minutes regardless of fitness level. The window between entry and incapacitation is short enough that any protection requiring deliberate action after immersion is already too late.