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From: Doug Lloyd <dlloyd_at_telus.net>
subject: [Paddlewise] Cold Water Escapades
Date: Tue, 06 Mar 2001 22:17:15 -0800
ralph diaz said:

<snip>

" But the event depicted in that website does give one pause to
think about survivability in cold water particularly about the dire
predictions bantered around."

ralph,
I noticed your warning in the last issue of Canoe&Kayak Magazine, in the
Sea Kayak Dispatch section, reminding paddlers to be prepared for cold
water immersion, even though balmy spring air temps may be present. Good
job highlighting the dangers, ralph. A timely reminder (providing Spring
ever comes your way :-) ).

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From: Rick Sylvia <Rick.Sylvia_at_ferginc.com>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Cold Water Escapades
Date: Tue, 6 Mar 2001 10:32:41 -0500
> 
> Take a look at this site:
> http://www.oceanswims.com/YADA/viktor.html
> 
> Doesn't it make you wonder a bit about cold water exposure 
> and how much a
> human can take.  


Can I just be one of the first to say.... ARE THESE PEOPLE NUTS!!!!!!  I had
to turn the heat in the office up after just looking at the pictures on the
web-site!  

0 0
 o       <====  Does that look like teeth chattering on Frosty the Snowman?
Probably
~~~             not, but you get the idea. 


Rick - Poquoson, VA  (27 degrees at 7am, and ice forming on the creek
leading out to the Bay, but just a dusting of snow) 

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From: Shawn Baker <shawnkayak_at_yahoo.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Cold Water Escapades
Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2001 10:05:18 -0800 (PST)
<snip cold-water filleter's info>
Dave Kruger wrote:
>That's the good news.  The bad news is that the acclimatization is
lost 
>a little faster than it is gained:  after a week's layoff, the 
>filleters could only do two hours of immersion (IIRC).

The other bad news is that long-term nerve damage can result.  My
buddy's father just retired after 30+ years as a commercial meatcutter.
While he wasn't exposed to as cold of temperatures as the filleters
see, he spent 30+ years with his hands in 35-40*F meat.  Darren said
his Dad has little-to-no sensation of light touch in his hands, and
cold and hot reception "isn't too hot" either.

I think I'll take the "temporary" numbness, and not go for
acclimatization!

Shawn

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From: Dave Kruger <dkruger_at_pacifier.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Cold Water Escapades
Date: Thu, 08 Mar 2001 10:11:27 -0800
Shawn Baker wrote:

> <snip cold-water filleter's info>
> Dave Kruger wrote:
> >That's the good news.  The bad news is that the acclimatization is lost
> >a little faster than it is gained:  after a week's layoff, the
> >filleters could only do two hours of immersion (IIRC).

> The other bad news is that long-term nerve damage can result.  My
> buddy's father just retired after 30+ years as a commercial meatcutter.
> While he wasn't exposed to as cold of temperatures as the filleters
> see, he spent 30+ years with his hands in 35-40*F meat.  Darren said
> his Dad has little-to-no sensation of light touch in his hands, and
> cold and hot reception "isn't too hot" either.

Complicating the issue here is that a meatcutter is very prone to carpal tunnel
syndrome (and its variants), which might also account for the loss of
sensation.  Any thoughts in that direction, Shawn?

I've never encountered any long-lasting after effects from immersion of my
hands in water, but I have not cut meat for 30 years, either!!

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
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From: Shawn Baker <shawnkayak_at_yahoo.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Cold Water Escapades
Date: Fri, 9 Mar 2001 13:18:25 -0800 (PST)
Dave Kruger wrote:
>Complicating the issue here is that a meatcutter is very prone to 
>carpal tunnel syndrome (and its variants), which might also account
for 
>the loss of sensation.  Any thoughts in that direction, Shawn?

I'll ask him.  The family also has a custom butcher shop at their
ranch. I think his mom has had problems with CTS, but I don't recall
his dad having had any.  Perhaps his technique was "more ergonomically
correct" to have lasted 30 years with no CTS problems.  Certainly, the
possibility of a repetitive-motion type injury would be there, and
proof again that good technique is a Good Thing, especially over a long
timespan.  Parallels could easily be drawn to good paddling technique
being easier on your body than bad--in the short run and in the long
run.

>I've never encountered any long-lasting after effects from immersion
of 
>my hands in water, but I have not cut meat for 30 years, either!!

It's possibly one of those chronic vs. acute things.

Shawn

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