Cold water has no mercy.
Years ago a FReeper described his barely surviving cold water experience in a canoe or some kind of small craft. Someone else was there to rescue him or he would not have told the story.
I know exactly what you are referring to. It had an impact on me, too. The FReeper did well in describing the event.
IIRC it was a canoe on a small lake in New England and folks in a nearby restaurant saw him.