(OT) An Epic Feat in Real Life

[Edena_of_Neith]

I just saw a woman swim 1.22 miles from a boat to the shores of Antarctica.
The water temperature was between 30 and 32 degrees Fahrenheit in that area (- 1 Celius to 0 Celsius.)

Her swim required she stay in the water for 30 minutes.
She wore only a normal bathing suit - no protective wetsuit or any other protection of any kind.

I would not have believed it, unless I saw it with my own eyes.
Even having seen it, it is difficult to believe.

A normal, healthy young male or female, immersed in water of 30 to 32 degrees, has between 30 and 60 seconds until they fall unconscious.
This woman was in water of that temperature for 30 minutes.

I would not have believed it possible, not even theoretically.
If shown in a science-fiction film or show, I would have called it bad writing.

As a DM, I would have given this Feat a DC of 90 (the equivalent of walking on water using the Balance skill.)

- - -

I wish to express my sincere astonishment and admiration to the woman who accomplished this feat.

Edena_of_Neith

 

[RangerWickett]

Heck, I thought it was impressive when I managed to swim one-quarter mile at Boy Scout camp back in 8th grade.

How did you see this, if I may ask?

 

[Tewligan]

Yeah, I saw that - I was flipping through channels and stopped on that. What was it, Discovery Channel? They had people waiting to wrap her up and kind of cuddle up around her, since she wasn't putting off enough body heat when she got out of the water. I think it probably helped a lot that she was a little heavy-set - I'm sure any insulation helps when you're swimming around in near-freezing water.

 

[CRGreathouse]

As a DM, I would have given this Feat a DC of 90 (the equivalent of walking on water using the Balance skill.)

Let's talk game mechanics here. What kind of check would you have required? I don't imagine that a Swim check explain this properly -- how would being a good swimmer stop you from getting hypothermia/etc from the cold water?

 

[RangerWickett]

She just has lots of hit points and a high constitution.

 

[JacktheRabbit]

Part of me says : That is pretty cool. I am quite impressed that she did it and lived.

The other part of me says: Why the hell do we have people in this world that do stuff like this?

I have to ask was she swimming for world hunger or something like that (aka publicity stunt) or just to get into the record books?

 

[Creamsteak]

Very interesting. I missed this. Now, at least if I'm knocked into the water 30 minutes off the Arctic coast, I'll at least know that it's possible for someone. -Motivation

Oh, and Hi again Edena.

 

[WayneLigon]

Hmm, good Fort save, the Endurance Feat, probably some athletic enhancement feat that further ups the Fort save, and and good Con. I wouldn't put it at 90 or some DC like that. Maybe about 35, I'd think.

Congratulations to her, and good luck.

 

[JacktheRabbit]

Hmm, good Fort save, the Endurance Feat, probably some athletic enhancement feat that further ups the Fort save, and and good Con. I wouldn't put it at 90 or some DC like that. Maybe about 35, I'd think.

Congratulations to her, and good luck.

Oh and LOTS AND LOTS of very spicy food before she jumped in the water.

 

[mmu1]

Sorry, but the bit about a "normal person losing consciousness in 30-60 seconds" is a load of nonsense.

The "exhaustion/unconsciousness" time in water of that temperature is more like 15 minutes, and the "survival" time (provided they don't drown when they pass out) is 45 minutes to an hour - on average.

So what she did, while very impressive, isn't quite the miracle the show made it out to be.

I've seen a couple of shows on this type of thing, and in every case the swimmer was also, despite "not wearing anything" covered in grease for insulation. Now, maybe she didn't, or maybe the producers glossed over it, but I'd bet good money she did...