I'm not sure that I can answer any questions about swimming in the ocean, but I am really familiar with cold water here in minnesota. It really sucks for my RSD. I can only speak about my experiences with aqua therapy and it has been a blessing. I am blessed to have an Athletic Republic club with an endless pool eight blocks from my house. I usually try to go three times a week with my wonderful wife. The coach turns the water up to 92 degrees and it is true heaven. I have the RSD in my Right ankle, foot , calf, and knee. My plan from the beginning was to distress the limb and work like a crazy man through the pain. However there is a fine line of over distress the RSD. Too much will cause a flare of imaginable proportion. I believe I have found my distress level for now. We usually spend about an hour for therapy with half of it focusing upon my upper extremities to compensate for what may happen in the future with my right limb. I have noticed that cold, no matter what form will cause my RSD to flare. Keeping my limb warm has been a battle. Over the winter I was in bed about 10-18 hrs a day due to the pain. As the weather warmed up I have been able to have more freedom.