1) After falling in cold water, start swimming to shore immediately.
True False
2) Swim for shore no matter how far it appears to be.
True False
3) If you stay put, it is best to climb out of the water onto the capsized boat.
True False
4) If you stay put in the water, tread water to keep warm.
True False
5) Stick with your survival decision and do not change your mind midway.
True False
A kayak gliding across a frosty, scenic lake is a common sight. Canadian lakes and rivers are favourite spots for all types of water activities year round. But what if one ends up over board in frigid waters? What is the best strategy to survive?
Based on ten years of study done by researchers Dr. Michel B. Ducharme of Defence R&D Canada and David S. Lounsbury of the
University
of
Toronto
, swimming for self-rescue in cold water is a viable and sometimes necessary choice. Swimming in cold water is risky but consider this: 60 percent of survivors of cold water boating immersions swam for shore, as opposed to only 30 percent who stayed with the boat (Canadian Red Cross: 2006 Drowning report).
See if you know what to do:
Practical circumstances will help you determine the likelihood of rescue. Whether or not someone knows where you are, the degree of aquatic or land-based activity and the factor of visibility (dusk, small vessel, etc.).
Of course, avoiding the plunge in the first place, is the best advice and wearing a personal flotation device (PDF) is crucial. Check the weather forecast before you leave, evaluate your surroundings and recognize potential dangers and potential survival solutions. This should be an automatic thought process in the back of your head whenever you venture out into bodies of water. Enjoy your water activities, confident that you are prepared for the worse.
