Not even winter can stop this daily dip into the cold ocean
Saturday, January 10, 2015, 7:24 AM - It seems that nothing can stop one New Jersey man from taking a daily swim in the Atlantic Ocean.
Even though wind chill has been making it feel like -17, 50-year-old Doug Maday is powering through a new tradition he started back in September: jumping into the cold water off the U.S. coast.
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"It's the wind that really makes it feel cold," Maday explained. "When it's not windy out, I really have no problem."
Maday has been taking the plunge every day since he started, even when it's cold or if he's sick.
"I don't even know why on a whim I just decided to just keep going to the beach and kinda making it into an endless summer."
While the daily dip initially served no purpose, Maday is hoping that going forward he will be able to raise some money for ALS, as he views his new "tradition" as the ultimate form of the ice bucket challenge.
Cold water shock
The body's reaction to cold water usually starts with an involuntary gasp. This is caused by the rapid speed with which your skin begins to cool down. This first response is usually felt within the first minute of coming in contact with the water.
During this point, some people are prone to hyperventilating, often triggered by panic. Others could see cardiac-related issues as most vessels in the bodies begin to vasoconstrict forcing the heart to pump harder.
After a certain amount of time (inversely proportional to how cold the water is) the human body could become incapable of moving. Vasoconstriction limits the amount of blood travelling throughout the body, forcing it to prioritize the vital organs. As the extremities start to cool down, the nerves and muscles in those regions begin to fail. Without a life jacket, it could be impossible to stay afloat.
While many would immediately be concerned by the possibility of hypothermia, that wouldn't kick in until at least 30 minutes after entry.
MUST-SEE: Take a look at what happens when you shoot a water gun in -40 C.
