Some years back I went swimming somewhere up the Maine coast in July or August.It took me the better part of an hour to get my entire body in the water (I'm not a "jump right in" guy).To quote Roseanne Rosanadana....I thought I was gonna DIE!
Did you turn blue?
Visited Newfoundland several times growing up. My cousins and their friends would swim in the ice cold water. I couldn’t handle even just standing in it up to my ankles.