Stand Up Paddling And The Impact Of Cold Water Shock

Depending upon where in the world you paddle, there is a pretty good chance at some point over the course of your paddleboarding life you will have encountered cold water shock.

But what exactly is cold water shock? How relevant is it to paddleboarders? And, can we pre-arm ourselves to defend against it?

Let’s talk cold water shock…

What Is Cold Water Shock?

Most people will likely have encountered cold water shock (CWS) at some point in their lives. Most likely is that the majority have experienced the mild form, such as a blast from a cold shower or plunge into a cool swimming pool that takes the breath away and makes you gasp for a moment.

Cold water shock does not relate entirely to icy water conditions and can have an effect in various temperatures ranging – at the higher end - from the sort of typical swimming pool temp most would not consider particularly cold.

Typically, after hitting cold water and taking the initial gasp what follows is rapid breathing (hyperventilation). Naturally, hyperventilation can cause a person to panic. They can feel as though they are not getting the oxygen they need. These are the immediate effects of cold water shock and are all natural reactions our body takes to protect us.

Although a cold water shock scenario is a potentially scary situation, there are methods to combat it.

The key elements to overcoming the situation are as follows:

• Keep your mouth away from the water by rolling onto your back until breathing is under control.
• Then swim. Waste no time in finding an exit before the muscles cool down, sapping strength and endurance.
• Once out of the water re-warm yourself to stave off hypothermia. Check our article on hypothermia here to understand the do’s and don’t of re-warming.

Is Cold Water Shock A Concern For Paddleboarders?

Above is a brief overview of cold water shock, its effects and ways to combat it. However, the question we ask now is about whether CWS is a serious concern for those venturing out on a paddleboard?

To best gauge this, we went to some of our vastly experienced ASI SUP instructors to see what they had to say on the matter…

Chris Kenyon is the owner of Central SUP in the UK.

ASI: What is your own experience with Cold Water Shock?

Chris: We do paddle in cool water for a lot of the year in the UK, so I tend to opt for layers of neoprene or lycra. It also depends where I am paddling and the likelihood of me falling in! At my home waters, which is an enclosed lake close to lots of facilities I will not be wearing a wetsuit, but if I’m doing a coastal paddle in the winter months, I probably will wear a wetsuit as I may be out in the elements for a lot longer.

An important thing to remember with a wetsuit is it works in the water but once out of the water and back on your board it can cool down rapidly especially in a cold wind. Therefore, some kind of Cag or waterproof top is also a good idea too.  As Central SUP is a huge club and we teach a lot of people we are always paying close attention to the weather conditions and advising accordingly.

ASI: Have you had any students experience CWS?

Chris: In regards to cold water shock we have only really had one instance of this on a training exercise where one of the participants got too cold swimming and struggled to breathe. Fortunately, we had our safety procedures ready to go so we were able to deal with the incident swiftly.

We often find that students will fall into cold water and it takes them by surprise, so we always teach correct wipe out and the importance of not inhaling water when taking that first sharp intake of breath when you do fall in. Being relaxed and calm is always critical to any wipeout in cold water.

ASI: Is CWS a real issue in terms of paddleboarding?

Chris: Yes, it can be. For unexperienced paddlers who are unaware of the dangers of cold water especially. There is good evidence that shows even the fittest of people can have a heart attack induced by CWS. Having the skills, knowledge and experience to deal with CWS is a must.

Maigriet Koeman owns IK SUP in the Netherlands

ASI: What is your own experience with Cold Water Shock?

Maigriet: Sometimes somebody gets in cold water and they panic, but by telling them what they have to do they come out of the panic situation. In the winter people with no SUP experience are not allowed to go paddling by themselves. They have to paddle only with an instructor because the instructor will know what to do if somebody falls into the cold water. And in the winter, they always have to wear a wetsuit. 

ASI: Is CWS a real issue in terms of paddleboarding?

Maigriet: Yes, I think so, because paddleboarding is very popular at the moment and people think it is too easy and do not think about the dangerous aspects such as CWS. 

Paul Byrne is the owner of IrishSUP in Ireland.

ASI: What is your own experience with Cold Water Shock?

Paul: CWS is something that I have had little experience with in my teaching sessions. I think that the season stops because of the cold water hence reducing its occurrence.

When I consider taking clients out late-season or early-season I guess this is what I take into consideration. For me SUP is a water sport and therefore time will be spent in the water. If there’s a risk that this exposure is going to be a negative one and turn them of the sport then I won’t run that session.

Obviously, this can be combated with suitable cold-water equipment and a more suitable environment.

ASI: Have you had any students experience CWS?

Paul: From time to time, even when working within the factors outlined above people will experience or taste cold water shock exposure to some extent. Especially people new to water sports who don’t know what to expect.

It usually starts with the wide eyes and failure to respond to your simple directions, but once removed from the water it can pass quickly. It is important to observe and watch the individual for the rest of the session and see that they are comfortable warm and that the cold doesn’t become an issue.

ASI: Is CWS a real issue in terms of paddleboarding?

Paul: This is an obvious risk that the instructor should be trying to eliminate by either cancelling the sessions at this time of year or using more appropriate equipment to eliminate risk. Like heavier suits, boots, possibly gloves and headwear. Wider boards, nice flat water, simple progressions and so on.

And there we have it. Based upon our instructor feedback, CWS is potentially an active factor within a paddleboarding session – this almost goes without saying to some extent – however, with a combination of our ASI instructor’s training, knowledge and common-sense decisions regarding a session taking place, it is not something that should be overly concerning potential paddlers.

It is important to be aware of CWS from the point of view that pre-warned is pre-armed. By having the expectancy that a plunge into cold water is likely to take the breath away and the understanding that it is important not to panic, then the worst effects of CWS can hopefully be largely eliminated.

Every water-based sport comes with its own range of possible issues and SUP is no different. But, with the right instruction, understanding and growing personal experience, it remains a sport that should be embraced as the wonderful activity it truly is.

Images from the RNLI