Most people do not realise that water at 10 degrees celcius has the same effect on your metabolism as water at 0 degrees celcius. Cold shock can cause arythmia and heart failure when you suddenly fall into cold water. The average person can only hold his or her breath for ten seconds before rapid uncontrolled breathing and gasping causes drowning. An olympic trained swimmer, and some people accustomed to cold water immersion might be able to swim without flotation for up to twenty minutes, but this would be exceptional endurance; most people would be drowned in less than twenty minutes.


Yours, Aye. Dave