Swimming naked in antarctica

[Davin]

It's pretty cold to swim naked in Antarctica, but that's just what this guy did
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Mdn7Mc1dRA

[Sigmund]

That makes me feel cold just watching.

[Naturist4Ever]

It's pretty cold to swim naked in Antarctica, but that's just what this guy did
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Mdn7Mc1dRA

... and girl! Wondering exactly where this is, there were quite some buildings in the background. Cool videoclip! Thanks for posting the link.

The guy (Pugh) that swam this summer near the northpole (to demonstrate that soon all summerice around the NP would be gone anyway) was 19mins in the water, at -2C watertemperature, I understand that was a worldrecord. Then there is Lynne Cox, the american woman who swam the first Antartic mile (actually 1.22miles) in 25mins near Antartica, not sure the watertemperature: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/02/12/60II/main540357.shtml

Other interesting youtube clips related to extreme iceswimming (clothed or not):
* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0kogs4KEso&feature=related
* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNNibi-GN60&feature=related
* and _many_ more (you will see them from the youtube menu on the right)

Iceswimming is very popular in many countries, and although it looks "awfully cold", you get used to it fairly quickly. Once you have build up some stamina and mental control, you are fine. I am stilling swimming 1-2 a week, water temperatures are now down to a "moderate" (by real iceswimmers standards) 3degs C and outdoor temperature around freezing... That's just fine for me.

[Ken Palmer]

It surely does look awful cold in that water! They obviously had to be in superb shape to endure that! I wouldn't have lasted five seconds!

Ken Palmer

[DenitaLC]

Two words that don't go together: Antarctica and Naked
;)

[Ken Palmer]

Hello Denita. I think I have to go along with you on that one! Those two words should never go together. But that's just my opinion here. How have you been doing?

Ken Palmer

[Sanslines]

[quote=Naturist4Ever;176896
Iceswimming is very popular in many countries, and although it looks "awfully cold", you get used to it fairly quickly. Once you have build up some stamina and mental control, you are fine. I am stilling swimming 1-2 a week, water temperatures are now down to a "moderate" (by real iceswimmers standards) 3degs C and outdoor temperature around freezing... That's just fine for me.[/quote]

What about the very real danger of hypothermia?

From US Coastguard:

Federal Requirements and Safety Tips for Recreational Boats
http://www.uscgboating.org/safety/fedreqs/images/safetytip.gif Hypothermia
Immersion in water speeds the loss of body heat and can lead to hypothermia. Hypothermia is the abnormal lowering of internal body temperature. If your boat capsizes it will likely float on or just below the surface. Outboard powered vessels built after 1978 are designed to support you even if full of water or capsized. To reduce the effects of hypothermia get in or on the boat. Try to get as much of your body out of the water as possible. If you can't get in the boat a PFD will enable you to keep your head out of the water. This is very important because about 50% of body heat loss is from the head.
It may be possible to revive a drowning victim who has been under water for considerable time and shows no signs of life. Numerous documented cases exist where victims have been resuscitated with no apparent harmful effects after long immersions. Start CPR immediately and get the victim to a hospital as quickly as possible.
http://www.uscgboating.org/safety/fedreqs/images/p47b.gif
The Danger Zone indicates where safety precautions and appropriate behavior (adopting H.E.L.P.) can increase your chances of survival when immersed in cold water.

Those who swim either for long distances in cool waters ie cross English Channel swims or in extremely cold water coat their skin to retain heat.

[nfstan]

Spencer Tunick staged an ultimately minimal (1 woman, as I recall) installation in Antarctica. No swimming, though.

[Naturist4Ever]

>> What about the very real danger of hypothermia?

I have noticed that sanslines like to cite all kinds of sources on a subject. However, here as well this relates particularly to untrained and unaccustomed people.

But many of the iceswimmers are different: they have more than average fat (they are not necessarily fat or overweight!) - a different fat than the white stuff - in cricitcal places, especially extremities (fingers, toes). Then, iceswimmers have an exceptional (mental) power to control the reaction of the body (for starters no hyperventilation like joe_average) and also by moving around warm up the body internally. The risk of hypothermia is larger when we come out of the water because we move less (the real cold one starts to feel 10mins or so after emerging from the water, not when immersed) and can be exposed to very cold air temperatures (freezing). Also the body adapts: it is not uncommon for people in the antartic in summer to go around in shirts when the weather allows when new arirvals will be packed up like michelen-figures. But yes, some swimmers (especially long distance) will use some vaseline-like coating. But that's faking it, you may aswell don a diverssuit, or stay home.

Swimming around in icewater isn't for everyone, but it certainly CAN go together. I recall my first exeperience. We were in the Alps, in Switzerland in Europe, high up at a mountain refuge. It was a nice sunny day, and there was this lake nearby with a tip of glacier ending up in and feeding the lake. Several people were swimming in the lake, just for fun, it was a gorgeous and beautiful setting, but I could not even hold my leg in the water for more than 30s it was soooo cold and painful. People climbed upon the tip of glacier and jumped back into the water (also nude in fact). We just could not believe it but for the locals it was just "normal".

Later I learned that worlds northernmost naturistsociety is - officially - on Bjornoya (Bear-Island) a bit south of Spitsbergen in the Barentsea. They have some hundred of members, you have to swim (nude) for 30s in the icey cold sea. Of course. So artic swimming is already more-or-less a reality. Trygve Bauge from Norway is for what I recall world record holder in cold-water submersion (there are some clips from him on youTube), 1.5hrs or so in 0degs water, you can look it up somewhere if interested.
The antartic is colder still, it is for sure not for eveyone, but that doesn't mean nude (swimming) & antartic can't go together for some.

One other advantage of swimming in (very) cold water, certainly for nudists, is that you really feel the interaction of body and nature/environment. A summerbreeze around the bits that are normally concealed may sound appealing, but iceswimming/bathing goes more than a mile further. It is like meditation, you take full control over your body every inch and will feel the reaction of every cell so to say. It is healthy too, resistance increases.

[HaroldTheNudist]

BRRRR

dont think I would like that.

Harry

[Sanslines]

>> What about the very real danger of hypothermia?

My question was based upon what most people think when they think of a person going into excessively cold water. The question was how are those who swim in such cold water able to withstand the cold to the point that they do not get sick or die? I have read about many a cross English Channel swim and most swimmers do coat themselves with vaseline or some other coating to preserve body heat. Since artic waters are much colder, it might appear that such coatings are insufficient. The US Coastguard source was posted to indicate the normal time limits versus water temperature and also the normal concerns about being in frigid waters.

[MJ_KC]

I would consider this too dangerous to even consider. The danger of going into shock or cardiac arrest would be too much for me.

[Sanslines]

I'll take a hot jacuzzi over an Artic swim anytime!

[Naturist4Ever]

The question was how are those who swim in such cold water able to withstand the cold to the point that they do not get sick or die? I have read about many a cross English Channel swim and most swimmers do coat themselves with vaseline or some other coating to preserve body heat.

The english channel isn't that cold (absolute terms) but it is a looong swim (world record just under 7hrs, but any average swimmer would use at least 2x-3x that time!), whereas icefilled water just plain icecold, but you don't stay in that long (for most people just minutes, at most if not 10's of seconds)
Although you could say the net effect in heat loss could be similar (it doesn't work exactly like that but you get the idea) the physique of very cold water for a relative short time isn't the same as being in marginally cold water (channel) for a very long time.

Then your questions: clearly if an arbitrary person jumped into water of 0C and tried to swim a mile (s)he would not get far. In fact, within minutes (if not less) numbness would start and after tens of minutes you loose the ability to move/swim get unconscious and would just drown. Iceswimmers do not get hyperventilation or cold-shock because they control their breating and physical reaction perfectly. Iceswimmers will never enter the water in a "run and shreek" way, always calm and highly controlled. Secondly, they train! They build up stamina over quite some time. You get to control the onset of numbness, til later and later. The skin doesn't freeze as long as the water isn't seriously below 0C, so that's never the problem when in the water. They train to build up the routine such that the body provides enough heat to keep things moving inside. Some people, depending on the amount of 'brown' fat can go much further than others, but most people can extend their limits significantly by training. (as it applies to almost all "sports")
Iceswimmers get less often sick, statistically, because the body builds up far more resistance. However, that is only when you are not suffering from high-bloodpressure. Since the heart is pumping faster, this is not for people with high bp.
The riskiest part is the time that you are NOT in the water, but exposed to the freezing wind for example, or walk barefoot over wet ice. Then there is risk of frostnip/bite.

That all being said, for sure 99.999% of nudist prefer tropical waters over those from the (ant)artic!! Me too.

[Sanslines]

My curiosity about ice swimmers relates to my experiences with riding a motorcyle in the Winter months in upstate NY (when the roads are clear). After riding a motorcyle (with several layers of clothes on) in sub freezing weather, my core body temperature will decrease. It will then take a substantial amount of time to again raise my core temp to the normal temperature.

Similarly, for those who use jacuzzis in the Winter months, after soaking in the approx 104 F water temp, you can get out of the jacuzzi and run around nude in freezing weather for a short period of time and not even feel the cold. Perhpaps the ice swimmers also purposely raise their body core temp by soaking in hot water (or some other means) before they take the plunge in ice water.

[RichNH]

Its true that there is always a danger of hypothermia, but these people were in and out. No real chance for the core body temperature to drop that much. The danger of hypothermia is that once removed from the water you need to get dry fast. Its one thing to go through the ice on a stream in the middle of the woods, quite another to have a boat with people on it right next to you.

I can tell you from going from hot tub to snow and back that you do need a good heart. it can be quite shock if you aren't used to it. I will tell you one thing, when you go into that kind of cold, the muscles that pull the testicles up into the body get awful tired awful fast....

Rich

[nudenwv]

wow! that will get the old ticker starting or quitting which ever. made my skin sting and took my breath away when they hit that water!

[DenitaLC]

Hello Denita. I think I have to go along with you on that one! Those two words should never go together. But that's just my opinion here. How have you been doing?

Ken Palmer

Hi Ken, I'm doing great, thanks for asking. I also share that opinion with you! It is an amazing physical feat that a human can survive in those temperatures and conditions....I just don't understand why they would want to! To each their own, LOL!