Interesting. From the RoSPA website that seems to be about the UK total from all causes, particularly accidents/lack of preparation, but yes like any outdoor activity the advice seems to be assess the risks and your own capabilities and do whatever is possible to minimise the risk. That includes not just going straight in unprepared as I did on New Year's day!
Yes, having been researching dangerous sports for my own Substack post just now, 400 deaths by drowning in UK each year, from all causes: cold water shock may be a substantial share of them (suspected but not confirmed) but most will still be people falling into cold water by accident rather than for fun. No figures available for the risk level of cold water swimming as such. The cold swimmers I know aren't worried by it – any more than kayakers, cyclists, cheerleaders etc are by the non-negligible risk factors of their chosen sports.
I read that about 400 people a year in the UK die from cold shock. Does this worry you at all, or is the statistic just wrong?
Interesting. From the RoSPA website that seems to be about the UK total from all causes, particularly accidents/lack of preparation, but yes like any outdoor activity the advice seems to be assess the risks and your own capabilities and do whatever is possible to minimise the risk. That includes not just going straight in unprepared as I did on New Year's day!
Yes, having been researching dangerous sports for my own Substack post just now, 400 deaths by drowning in UK each year, from all causes: cold water shock may be a substantial share of them (suspected but not confirmed) but most will still be people falling into cold water by accident rather than for fun. No figures available for the risk level of cold water swimming as such. The cold swimmers I know aren't worried by it – any more than kayakers, cyclists, cheerleaders etc are by the non-negligible risk factors of their chosen sports.