(4) If the water is cold, get as much of your body as possible out of the water and remain still so as to prevent hypothermia.

The body cools 25 times quicker in water than in air, and heat loss is about one-third greater if you tread water or swim than if you remain still. Many drownings occur when individuals try to swim to shore, as the shore is often farther away than it looks. And the colder the water, the quicker you tire.

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Good Swimmers Drown Too

Authorities have often been baffled by cases where a good swimmer falls overboard without any apparent injury and just disappears. However, according to information made available through the American Red Cross, physiological reactions to cold water may provide some of the answers. Caloric labyrinthitis may occur as a result of cold water suddenly entering the ear canals. This can cause vertigo wherein the victim may swim downward rather than upward, eventually running out of air. Another possibility is the hyperventilation reflex. Sudden exposure to cold water may cause uncontrollable rapid breathing. If triggered when the head is submerged, the person can drown. Pain may be another contributing factor. Sudden exposure to cold water may be so painful that the victim enters shock or has a heart attack. The lesson? Treat water with respect. Treat cold water with extra respect.