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It may be broiling on land, but the water north of Boston Harbor is still freezing

By adamg on Fri, 07/22/2022 - 9:56am


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Comments

By MassMouse on Fri, 07/22/2022 - 10:19am.

Narragansett area beaches are around 70 degrees. I will be at Scarborough tomorrow if you need me…

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By Friartuck on Fri, 07/22/2022 - 10:20am.

Never ventured beyond the sand... "this is a nice spot to swim, er, shovel"

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By Will LaTulippe on Fri, 07/22/2022 - 10:21am.

75 degrees.

There's a reason why I never went to the Cape in summer in 19 years of living in Boston.

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By Pete Nice on Fri, 07/22/2022 - 10:26am.

I have always found that Ocean temps from 60-65 are "cold", but bearable and refreshing on a hot day. Sometimes swimming in temps 60-65 feel really nice on the body.

Anything under 60 is unbearable though. 65-70 is nice and over 70 is amazing.

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By SamWack on Fri, 07/22/2022 - 1:10pm.

The National Center For Cold Water Safety categorizes 60-70F as Dangerous and 50-60F as Very Dangerous/Immediately Life-threatening. Apparently 50-60F is the critical range for cold water shock, which causes hyperventilation and loss of breathing control. It's cold shock that usually kills people, rather than hypothermia, which takes half an hour or so to set in.

https://www.coldwatersafety.org/cold-water

I'm a little skeptical of these categories, particularly calling 69-degree water "dangerous", but this source seems less tainted with misinformation than most.

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By anon on Sat, 07/23/2022 - 12:42am.

This is the qualifier missing from the provided stats.

50-60 after falling off a boat in March is completely different from swimming at the beach for extended periods during a heat wave.

I've given myself mild hypothermia while bodysurfing in early May in perfect surf conditions well under 55 degrees.

Air temp was fine but I was definitely in "cold water shock," shaking and cross-eyed when I got out.

In no real danger though unless I hit my head on the sandbar and got knocked out.

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By SwirlyGrrl on Fri, 07/22/2022 - 11:52am.

You mean AHHHH!

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By Lee on Fri, 07/22/2022 - 1:19pm.

… the other day to stave off heat exhaustion. Not quite the delicious tingle you get off Cape Ann but close enough.

Anything above 65 is used bath water and not for me.

But nothing no nothing beats a swim in the sea on a sunny day in late December! Ahhhhhhh!

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