Immersing yourself in cold water is not always the most inviting thing to do. I usually think twice before jumping into cold water, whether in the ocean, river, lake or even my shower. Participating in a sport that you develop a passion for that requires going into cold water can be a non starter for many people.
There are lots of sports like scuba diving, surfing, kite boarding, wind surfing, surf kayaking, even swimming that are enjoyed in cold water locations. Just because you don't live in Hawaii or some other warm water location should not keep you from getting into a water sport.
The key is to get the right equipment. Wearing the right wetsuit for the temperature of the water can make or break the experience. Having wetsuit boots, gloves and even a hood will make your experience totally comfortable and you will be so much more likely to get out and participate regularly. If you are going into water 55 degrees or colder you will want either a dry suit or at minimum what is called a 3-4 thickness wetsuit or thicker. This means its 3mm in the arms and 4mm in the rest of the body. A good wetsuit will be designed for both function and warmth. You need to be able have good freedom of motion at the arm pits and at the knees. Gloves should be designed for a reasonable level of grip, more so for diving or paddling. Booties should be thick enough and have a good sole for grip and protection from rocks, plants etc. Both gloves and booties should have a way to cinch tight to keep out most of the cold water.
For canoes and kayaks where you aren't going to be submerged in the water you can go with a lighter wetsuit. For swimming you'll want a wetsuit designed for maximum freedom of movement. Even in warmer water, divers often prefer to wear a wetsuit.
There are different wetsuit designs for warmer water, like a short john, which covers only from your neck to right above your knees, some have short sleeves and some have tank straps. There are also wetsuit t-shirts. Some wetsuits are all one piece full body and there are also separate wetsuit tops and pants, often preferred by divers. Surfers, kite boarders, windsurfers all tend to prefer one piece wetsuits.
Cold water sports can be lots of fun even when the water is very chilly id you are prepared
