CHEKC IF WE GOT THAT ONE DEJA

Subject: cold water survival


Date: Sun, 16 Jul 1995 15:31:22 EDT
From: UQPW31A@prodigy.com (MS MARY JILL PARISH)

To: richard@io.org
Subject: cold water survival

Hello,
 The book is realy great, only one thing I found missing:
In your sea survival section, you forgot a something.  One, what to 
do if no raft (Oppps!) and cold water (like 60 F or below).  This is 
what I know about it.

First, in water that is truly freezing cold, blackout and death in 
less than a few minutes.  

The problem comes in where the water isn't freezing cold, but is just 
cold, like 60 F.  With out proper technique blackout comes in about 
an hour in an average weight, healthy, adult female (less for men and 
children.  More for fat people).  This can be lengthened by "survival 
swim".  In the survival swim a person curls up (like a ball) holding 
onto his knees.  In this manner a pocket of warmer water is captured. 

 Unfortunatly the face is under water, and the person must kick out 
of the curled position and breath in, then re-curl.  It should be 
noted that with the lungs full as they are in the curled position, 
the person will remain no more than a centemetre from the surface of 
the water.  

Also, hold the nose pluged with the fingers- while this 
is thought of as something only kids do, it is important everyone 
does it. Why? because if you don't hold your nose shut, you *will* 
get water up your nose.  If you get water up your nose, it is not 
only very painful, but causes nosebleeds and coughing which in a 
surival situation can prove deadly.

The other problem with water at around 60 F is that people in it tend 
to go crazy after an hour or so.  They feel helpless, depressed, and 
they "know they are going to die".  After an hour some people just 
quit coming up for air.  It is of key importance to tell oneself "I 
will not die".

A major problem while swimming: if you fall asleep you will drown.  
It is very important not to doze off.  To do this the mind must be 
occupied, but must not be day-dreaming, because a person who is day-
dreaming in an exaused state will fall asleep.  Multiplication tables,
 or reciting some poetry works well. Halucinations begin in a healthy 
male in around three days, less for children.  

These halucinations range from the harmless, entertaining type, to the very very dangerous type.  example of harmless : autos on rubber rafts.  
example of dangerous : thinking you are  a fish.

Oh, yeah.  Keep your clothes on, it traps pockets of warm water.  
don't laugh in an effort to keep your spirits up-it expends heat and 
energy.


Well, thats about all I know about survival, mainly because I am 
costantly swimming myself into near-hypothermia, and my uncle told me 
this stuff.  He was in the Italian Folgore Brigade, so I guess thats 
where he got it from. Regards, Landi Marie