Sunday 2/01

This was the coldest day of surf I’ve experienced on the east coast in recent memory. The feels like temperature was -1 when I checked before leaving and I made it about 45 minutes in a good (Feral) 5/4, 7mm mittents, and 7mm boots before having to call it quits. I’ve made it through winter with only a 4/3 before and consider myself pretty cold tolerant all in all. That said, this was a truly frigid day.

Water temps are in the low 30s and air temps are in the single digits. Not exactly normal weather here, but it’s expected for about another week. Somewhat luckily, it looks like our next round of surf is going to be a while, so hopefully something changes with this pattern soon.

Things to Keep in Mind

First and foremost, it’s important to know the signs of hypothermia if you’re going to be surfing during the more extreme conditions. I know how easy it is to be waiting for that last wave of the session for half an hour or more, and it could cause you problems is you don’t pay attention.

Early Signs

  • Shivering
  • Clumsiness and slower reaction times
  • Feeling tired or difficulty concentrating
  • Numbness in hands/feet

Signs to GTFO

  • Shivering stops
  • Confusion/Irritability
  • Difficulty speaking and lack of coordination

One of the dangers of hypothermia is that it becomes more difficult to recognize in yourself as it progresses. For me, I feel like difficulty with speech happens in the late-early signs and is generally when I immediately start paddling in and give up on that last wave.

The next thing to keep in mind is frostnip/frostbite. This is more about getting out of your wetsuit, especially in cold/windy conditions. More on that below.

Frostbite Risk Table

Created with the help of AI; why down below

Air Temp (°F) Typical Wind Chill Official Frostbite Time (Dry Skin) Surfer‑Adjusted Safe Window (Wet Hands) Notes
35–40°F 25–30°F Low risk 10–20 min Manageable if dried quickly.
25–32°F 10–20°F Low–Moderate risk 5–10 min Wet hands can chill below freezing.
15–25°F 0–10°F Moderate risk 3–7 min Frostnip common.
10–15°F –5 to 0°F Moderate–High risk 2–5 min Numbness develops quickly.
5–10°F –10 to –5°F High risk (10–30 min) 1–4 min Very common frostnip zone for NJ surfers.
0–5°F –15 to –10°F High risk (10–30 min) 1–3 min Evaporative cooling is severe.
–5 to 0°F –20 to –15°F High risk (10–30 min) <2–3 min Skin can freeze extremely fast when wet.
–10 to –5°F –25 to –20°F Very high risk (5–10 min) ~1–2 min Essentially no safe exposure.
Below –10°F –30°F or colder Severe risk (2–5 min) <1 min Dangerous; frostbite possible before gloves are off.

Most frostbite tables assume dry skin. Being surfers, we obviously don’t have dry skin when changing out of a wetsuit. Even if you towel dry your hands, there’s going to be some moisture left plus the time between taking the gloves off and getting them dry. For this reason, I fed in an existing table and had it attempt a post surf version.

Tips and Tricks

Before Getting In

  • Plan out how you will get your gear on before starting
  • Take the time to warm up (literally and figuratively) before getting in.
  • Minimize the time it takes from getting out of your car to when your gloves are on
  • Get an idea of the timing of sets to make paddling out easier (each duck dive counts/hurts)

Remember that when it’s really cold and windy, you don’t have a ton of time before your hands start to take a hit. It’s critically important to have a solid order of operations when getting ready to minimize time spent unprotected from the cold. Sometimes wearing your wetsuit in the car to the beach is the way to go. I like to add a fresh layer of wax to my board before heading out so I don’t have to do it standing outside. This means I’m mainly getting into my wetsuit, getting my board out of the truck, putting on my gloves, and getting out there.

I also like to warm up a bit before leavin the house. I do some cat/cow to get my spine moving, do some light dynamic shoulder/chest stretches, and a few others. Once I’m on the beach, squats, pushups, lunges, etc. help to warm the body up literally and figuratively. This also gives you time to get an understanding of timing and when to paddle out.

In the Water

  • Paddle out at the right time (cold water is going to get in the wetsuit every time you duck dive)
  • Complain about lulls from time to time (seriously)
  • Once your hands/feet are numb, plan on getting that last wave

So much of progressing in surfing is learning how to not waste energy. Getting out with fewer duck dives means less cold water in your suit, less ice cream headaches, and more energy to catch waves. Every time you bring in cold water, you’re reducing the time remaining in your session.

Difficulty with speech is a classic sign of hypothermia. Complaining about lulls gives you the chance to catch that symptom when it starts. Even if you’re alone, a quick “where the hell are the waves?” can’t hurt. Lulls are also when you are paddling less and likely cooling more as a result.

Once my feet get to that point from cold -> almost numb, I know it’s time to get out. You typically have some time, but it’s a good idea to be less picky and take whatever comes through (conditions depending).

Out of the Water

  • Plan how you are going to get out of your wetsuit in advance (each step counts)
  • Never start taking gear off before getting to your car
  • Start your car early
  • Try to block as much wind as possible
  • Don’t immediately drive off

After your session is when you are most at risk of frostnip/frostbite, particularly your hands. It’s an unfortunate reality that gloves (especially mitts) need to come off first. I typically have a towel ready to dry my hands immediately after getting them off. Having regular mittens (like, not wetsuit gloves) is a good idea as well.

I like the order of: gloves off -> dry hands on towel -> mittens -> turn on car and crank the heat. This way, if I start feeling frostnip in my hands (burning/hard to move/pale) I can hop in my truck and warm up for a while before changing out of my wetsuit.

The most important piece of advice I can give is this: Do not take a single piece of gear off until you are at your car. Moreso, gear is removed as required at the time and not before.

Lastly, it’s important to recognize that even mild hypothermia takes a toll on your cognition. It’s also hard to recognize, due to the toll it took on your cognition. Even if you are driving home in your wetsuit (honestly recommended on a day like Sunday), it’s important to take at least ten minutes or so and start to warm up.