As it turns out, this article only talks about specialised training and special devices and the dangers of crashing in cold oceans. Probably not many handy hints for the casual helicopter passenger.
It's a good thing because I think Dad said over half the crew couldn't even swim!
Not that it matters you'd be dead in three minutes anyway without a Mustang suit.
The writer was surprised to find out that they did not train or practice "Eskimo Rolls". He asked what they would do if they got stuck upside down. The speaker said something like "I don't know, probably drown".
Can anyone find a source for this? I've swam in some seriously cold water (partially iced over lake water, I don't know how cold it was) and it is really stunningly bad, but that seems rather off. The best I can find (some USCG powerpoint about surviving airplane crashes in water) has lack of muscle control beginning at around 10-15 minutes, which seems more in line with what I have experienced.
This course included spending time in a very cold pool in full gear and attempting to activate and enter an inflatable life raft (over and over, and in the dark).
I was reasonably insulated but not in a survival suit, and I lost virtually all muscle control after about 15-20mins.
The shivers left me so weak I could barely climb the ladder out of the pool.
The instructor explained to me that this was the major point of the exercise. The right strategy is to try to minimize heat loss by bringing your knees up to your chest and not moving much (Assuming you have floatation).
