Frozen Lake Swim

[McJAGGER]

Hello fellow B&B Members,
In the beginning of March, I marked my second Polar Plunge here in MN. For those of you not aware, it is put on by local law enforcement and we raise money for the Special Olympics of MN. The amount you can raise is endless, but the minimum is $75.00. This year, our group raised $1,895 and the Minnesota total was $2,374,338! Once the minimum amount is raised, the end result is a bunch of crazy people (myself included) plunging through a hole cut out in the ice in the lake. I somehow talked my wife into it for her first time, needless to say, I had to drag her out of the water because she literally became shocked at the temperature change in the water and could not move .

I thought I would share the photo! We did the Cowboy/Cowgirl theme this year and I am the horse. Yeah, yeah, I know, wrong end of the costume . I am truly looking forward to next year.

 

[Kinja]

Insane! haha I hate cold!

 

[rxonmymind]

Good job! I was camping with a bunch of friend near Mt. Lassen National park and it just so happened that there was a river just about 50 yards from us. Well, a few of them had the bright idea to jump into the cold river upon getting up from there warm sleeping bags. You know, just get up run & yell like mad men. I passed. From thelook on their faces..it was priceless. I laughed so hard but knowing they were in pain from their stupidity was even better.LOL. Only when your young!

 

[_JP_]

Something I would not willingly do. I lost my breath on a duck hunt when a small hole in the caused me to pitch forward into the water. I took a reading of the water later, it was right at 34F. It took a long lunch break for me to stop shivering.

 

[McJAGGER]

Something I would not willingly do. I lost my breath on a duck hunt when a small hole in the caused me to pitch forward into the water. I took a reading of the water later, it was right at 34F. It took a long lunch break for me to stop shivering.

I would have been freaking out! At least I had the Dive Team available in case something went wrong.

 

[dpmtherrien]

You're a braver man than I am, that's for sure. I'm not a fan of the cold water, and doing that is just way over the top. Good for you though.

 

[jkingrph]

It's been about 40 years ago. We were boar hunting in the western Turkish mountains and were moving from one area to another and had to cross a small stream, stepping from rock to rock. I lost my balance and instead of falling in chose to sit down quickly so only got my bottom wet. It was winter, the stream was spring and snow fed and was cold. No change of clothes was available, but I packed a trash bag which I tied around me to break the wind. I was very cold for several hours until well after my clothes dried. A few years later, stationed in NW Florida in the UASF, my wife and another couple went canoeing in one of the local rivers, in Feb. I don't know what happened but we all overturned and went into the water. It was either the Blackwater RIver or Coldwater creek which is a good name as both are spring fed by cold springs and are cold even in the summer. I was smart that day and had prepared some matches by wax coating so we used some driftwood to make a fire to warm up and dry out.

 

[McJAGGER]

I couldn't even imagine flipping a canoe in freezing water. I would probably go into panic mode as the current took me to the abyss

 

[ouch]

And they say NY'ers are crazy.

 

[SalvadorMontenegro]

And they say NY'ers are crazy.

Not if they knows what's good for 'em, they don't.

 

[njpaddy]

At least you did it for a good cause. I couldn't imagine leaving my house in the winter if I lived in MN.

 

[McJAGGER]

At least you did it for a good cause. I couldn't imagine leaving my house in the winter if I lived in MN.

We tend to stay dormant and eat a lot of hotdish

 

[Mojo88]

Nice cause, but the only ice I want is in my drink...

 

[Argonaut]

More power to ya! I'm glad it was for a good cause, but that's all yours buddy. I fell through the ice on my grandpa's pond when I was 12 or so, if it was more than three foot deep where I went through, I doubt I'd be here typing this. Most miserable shocking pain I've ever felt!

 

[McJAGGER]

Most miserable shocking pain I've ever felt!

It is definetely a painful experience. I am quite surprised at the people that jump out of the ice, and go in for a second time.

 

[redrako]

You helped raise money for a very worthy cause, had some fun doing it and have a good story to tell at the end of it.

Very Cool thing to do.