When my positional vertigo kicks in I am disoriented and a bit stunned for a few minutes. That took place immediately before and after I was in the water, independent of water temperature, and may be why I did not feel cold right away. In fact the cool felt good on my cramping muscles.

Confession: when I got onto the gravel spit island I took off my flats boots and waders - I do not know why. I felt "warm" in the sun for a few minutes, but then began shivering and it was downhill from there.

I will try to find out and post what the Tomales Bay water temperature was on 2-5-11.