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Questions
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Answers
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Are
you folks nuts?
Not particularly. We're just a group of people from all
walks of life who deeply enjoy the activity of cold water
swimming. Some do it for possible health benefits. Some do
it for the love of water. Some do it to stay active at Coney
Island. And others, well, maybe a few of us are nuts. But
all do it for the fun of it. If it's not fun, then stay out
of the water.
Can't you get hypothermia doing that?
It is possible to get hypothermia, but in Club memory, going
back over twenty years now, no member has ever suffered from
hypothermia or frostbite. We know our limits and look out
for each other.
  Isn't
it cold?
Good question, yes, as a matter of fact it does get cold. In
October when we begin our season the water temperature is
still in the low 60's (°F). As the winter progresses,
it is not unusual for the water temperature to dip down to
about 33° degrees. And don't forget to throw the wind
chill effect into the mix. See the Weather
area for wind chill information.
What do you do to prepare yourself for a swim in the dead
of winter?
Basically, we all don bathing suits. We also recommend
wearing neoprine surf boots. There is no way around it, feet
can get quite cold. The boots do a great deal to help keep
your feet comfortable and protect you against the
possibility of cutting your feet on that stray piece of
glass that turns up on the beach.
Do you have to be in excellent health to do this?
Take a look at the pictures
throughout this site. Do we look like body builders? Our
members vary from trim athletic figures to those less
interested in running a marathon. We do recommend all
participants consult their physicians before engaging in
winter swimming. We also request that newcomers and guests
sign a waiver holding the Club harmless in case of a
negative reaction.
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