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East coast winter surfer here. After that initial shock (anyone have ideas on how to minimize this??), it's a great feeling. Almost as good as the coffee and bu

East coast winter surfer here. After that initial shock (anyone have ideas on how to minimize this??), it's a great feeling. Almost as good as the coffee and burrito after the session. Highly recommended.

mikejarema 7y ago
I haven't been able to minimize the shock too much, but I've seen a little success fully entering and exiting the water repeatedly, staying in a little longer each time. Eg. 5 secs, 15 secs, then 30 secs. After 3 or 4 in and outs, I just stay in and get on with the swim. This gives me a chance to gauge what I'm dealing with (water temp + how willful and resilient I'm feeling that day). Plus it makes the initial entry less of a mental hurdle because I know I'm coming out shortly after entering.
dacoldswimmer 7y ago
If you have time, just enter much more slowly. Let your feet get cold then move up to your knees after the feet aren't so cold. Then nuts, then belly, then nips, then shoulders. The real hurdle is when the water is high enough that my hands are in the water too. The whole time I'm slowly splashing and rubbing water over my body to prepare for submersion. I can tell which areas are still dry and upon their first exposure to water its slightly uncomfortable but well worth it. I get my hair wet with my hands as well. Finally I get up to my neck and after awhile I feel like I'm in a nice cool pool. I don't wear a wetsuit.
jamesblonde 7y ago
A steamer, booties, gloves, and a skull cap? That is the defacto setup we use in Ireland for winter surfing. You still get the brain freeze when you duck-dive, but your body never gets really cold.
hcnews 7y ago
Force yourself to breathe slowly. It leads to a much shorter shock phase. This is a neurological hack, basically your mind thinks that everything is ok because you only breathe slowly in calm conditions (cold water is not calm by default).

mikejarema 7y ago

I haven't been able to minimize the shock too much, but I've seen a little success fully entering and exiting the water repeatedly, staying in a little longer each time. Eg. 5 secs, 15 secs, then 30 secs. After 3 or 4 in and outs, I just stay in and get on with the swim. This gives me a chance to gauge what I'm dealing with (water temp + how willful and resilient I'm feeling that day). Plus it makes the initial entry less of a mental hurdle because I know I'm coming out shortly after entering.

dacoldswimmer 7y ago

If you have time, just enter much more slowly. Let your feet get cold then move up to your knees after the feet aren't so cold. Then nuts, then belly, then nips, then shoulders. The real hurdle is when the water is high enough that my hands are in the water too. The whole time I'm slowly splashing and rubbing water over my body to prepare for submersion. I can tell which areas are still dry and upon their first exposure to water its slightly uncomfortable but well worth it. I get my hair wet with my hands as well. Finally I get up to my neck and after awhile I feel like I'm in a nice cool pool. I don't wear a wetsuit.

jamesblonde 7y ago

A steamer, booties, gloves, and a skull cap? That is the defacto setup we use in Ireland for winter surfing. You still get the brain freeze when you duck-dive, but your body never gets really cold.

hcnews 7y ago

Force yourself to breathe slowly. It leads to a much shorter shock phase. This is a neurological hack, basically your mind thinks that everything is ok because you only breathe slowly in calm conditions (cold water is not calm by default).