subject: Cold Water Tips - Surfing, Windsurfing and Kitesurfing [print this page] Cold Water Tips - Surfing, Windsurfing and Kitesurfing
Have you ever been in a situation when you feel this strong desire to hit the waves but then one look throgh your window changes everything. You see snow, people wearing thick winter jackets, neighbours dog shivering with cold .......Well you are definitely not the only one!
For all of us living in Europe, well almost all of us, surfing in cold winter conditions can be quite a challenge. There are many things we need to consider before jumping in the cold sea.
First of all, we need to have the right equipment. A 5mm wetsuit is highly recommended, as it is eseential to keep our body warm. Even thoguh you might not feel cold due to the adrenalin rush, your core body temperature can goe down and it takes a while to restore it back to normal. High quality thick booties and gloves are a must. It is also recommendable to wear a neoprene mask or hood, as it is important that our head is not exposed to cold water.
Warm up! Once you arrive to your favourite surfing spot do some warm up exercises push ups, stretching, light jogging, jumping jacks etc. Warm-up exercises increase the temperature of the body, making the muscles more flexible and decrease the chance of injury.
Remain active. After we jump in the water and enjoy the thrills of surfing/windsuring/kitesurfing, we must stay active, as our body has the ability to stays warm by burning our energy sources. But keep in mind, as soon as you really start feeling the cold, get out of the water. Signs that your body has already gotten to cold are uncontrollable teeth chattering or shivering. How long you can stay in water withouth the risk of getting hypothermia varies from person to person and also to weather conditions windy conditions can have a strong impact on our ability to keep our core body temperature warm.
Hot Tea Soup. Dont forget to bring a thermos full of warm soup or tea which you can enjoy on the shore or in the car. There is nothing like a nice relaxing moment after a great surf session.
