Polar Plunge - Just Do It??!!?

“This nearby town (where I also work at that paper) is having a Polar Plunge Jan. 3. The second year. They do it at a creek by a park. The area for "plunging" is about 20x20 ft.

I was interviewing a guy about he. He did it last year, along with his 10-year-old daughter!! This year his 8-year-old daughter will go and he will go again.

He thinks the secret is wearing as few clothes as possible, so when you get out, there's less cold, wet mess to get out of. I guess they have some trailer with heaters (and a nekkid, cold orgy, perhaps??!)

Some people supposedly "train" by taking cold showers, etc. He said last year the water temp was around 32, but supposedly (does this make sense?) was around 15 a week or so ago, when the steam was iced over. He said he thinks a really cold day would be good, because then the water will be WARMER than the air temp.

Since I write my "adventure"/travel column, they are all egging me to do it.... hmmmm... I don't swim and it sounds awful.... but.....

Anyone Polar Plunged? They said they'd count waist deep as a "success," although some people go under for additional fun. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...”

“steam = STREAM...... LOL! (just trying to stay warm, I guess)”

“I've never done it but i say go for it, even if it's a horrible experience it'll make a great story!”

“I can not see any appeal to jumping in a cold cold lake. I guess I need to know what is being achieved? Even on a hot summer day, I am one of those people who slowly walks in the water and has to get aclimated.”

“I say no-- you can report about it better when you are alive to write about it.”

“I did it once....and I stayed in the water a bit. It hurt so bad we held large rocks to pull us under.

Water can be colder than 32 if it's moving, the friction will keep it from freezing.

Your friend is also right in saying to wear as few clothes as possible. Dry off as soon as you get out and warm up quickly and you'll be fine.”

“Every year, the polar bear club here in New York go into the water at the beach at Coney Island. These folks take a swim in the ocean, no matter what the termp is outside. Not for me. I prefer to view this from the local news report...”

“In Barrow,Alaska a few years ago my x and some friends did the Polar Bear Club plunge.Water temp was 35* but it was in the summer there which air temp was still only in the 50's.They had a blast.I just didn't see the need myself.But since then I've been in plenty cold waters.Go for it Lizs.. : )”

“Can you say HYPOTHERMIA?

lizs - I think it is time you took a dip.

Be prepared to shiver for about a half-hour.”

“

I guess they have some trailer with heaters (and a nekkid, cold orgy, perhaps??!)

Will this be a full coverage project with pictures?

Gee, lizs I would have stopped, if I had known that you wanted to take the plunge!!!!!!”

“LMAO!!

Yes, it does put a whole new meaning to "taking the plunge," doesn't it??”

“It's in the mind.After 50 years you don't even know you're in water.It's the first 49 years that's hell.”

“Do it lizs!

LOL, I always thought you were supposed to go in every day, then you were acclimated to the cold.

One thing we had fun watching at the Quebec winter carnival was the "snow swim." People run out in their bathing suits and roll around in the snow. nuts!

o(=D”

“I have intentionally and unintentionally gone "swimming"n the winter. Its invigorating to say the least.”

“In Lake George NY, they have an annual polar bear swim on Jan 1. They take their swim at the town beach.”

“Just do it! Life is too short for regrets! You won't freeze or have anything inportant fall off and you will join an exclusive club. The Polar Bear Club.

Twofootdrive
Member of the PBC since 1974”

“GO FOR IT LIZSARD!


How can you give a fair account unless you've actually had the experience ?!?

p.s. Pictures, pretty please!”

“If you get the chance, you should go for it lizs--
my dad does it every year and he says it "revitalizes his soul." (crazy old man--lol!!)”

“I joined the Polar Bear Club in December of 2001 surrounded by some fellow TTers. My legs tingled for a couple hours.

I'd do it again.”

“lizs - It is at the point where you HAVE to do it now.




Otherwise, some unthinking troll would probably call you "CHICKEN!!”

“Cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck (that's as good as I can do TYPING)”

“When I was young I jumping into the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean and got terrible muscle spasms in my back from it. Took 1 second to jump in, and took 3 days to recover.”

“HMMM
Maybe I should start a Polar Bear Club here.....
Would a car with the heat on be sufficient, with warm blankets and removal of the wet suit?”

“Wetsuit? That is cheating.”

“Gotta go for it, it's not bad at all. You're just getting in then back out in a hurry.

We found a spot a couple years ago up in the Sierra where we were able to slide about 75 feet down a snow-covered slope into a lake, absolutely awsome experience!! (makes you really appreciate a hot cup of soup!)”

“in the winter? in your bathing suits?”

“A new one for the list -- Thanks, Twofoot


OSP………………….…the Office of Special Plans
PAH…………………….Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon
PAO…………………….Public Affairs Officer
PBC…………………….Polar Bear Club
PDSI……………………Palmer Drought Severity Index
PERV…………………..Porcine Endogenous Retrovirus
PFIAB…………………..President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board
POEE…………….…….the Paratheo-anametamystikhood Of Eris Esoteric
POSIP………………….Porsche Side Impact Protection
QTS…………………….Quick Tilt System”

“It's invigorating and not everyone can say they belong to the polarbear club. Just do it!”

“At my age, it is the "zipper club." If you have not experienced open heart surgery, you're out of the conversation. Knee surgery will qualify you for thr fringe area.”

“lol NS, and do you tell people "just do it!"?”

“I just try to set an example.

Well, not really, I just do my own thing!”

“I first did it in 1995. I lived by the beach in Southern Calif. and was down there to surf at dawn on Jan 1. A bunch of PBC folks were preparing for the 'plunge' and I decided to join them. I took off my wetsuit and a friend bet me I couldn't take off my swim trunks and do it completely naked! Some of the PBC crowd also thought it was a novel idea and said they would do it too.

To make a long story short, I (and three others) got ticketed for indecent exposure by the local police!

When the judge at the court hearing saw the pictures of the event and heard my explanation, he laughed and let me off with a small fine.

To this day I have the ticket and court appearance documents framed and (well)hung (pun intended!) in a place of honor in my house!”

“LOL... (well) hung indeed!”

“If I went in up to my waist... I imagine some things that were once roughly spheroidal would then be cube shaped.”

“Smaller - like marbles!”