What Do They Call 'em--"Ice Bears", "Snow Birds" or "Nutcases"?

When talking about traditions the other day on here, I had forgotten about the annual dive in the brink on New Years' Day. Well, it isn't a proper tradition, in the traditional sense of the word. They have only been doing this a few years here.

Folks come to the water and strip down to the swim suit and plunge themselves into the water, swim out a ways and back. Once back on the beach they get a large towel, hot chocolate and there is usually a large fire. Sometimes bands come and play and there can be food.

We here are just a small town so our turnout isn't enormous. Now for some foto's and vids:

 

Yeah--"Polar Bear Plunge". Good onya Toni.
I thought it had a name something like that...with bears or something.

 

There is one here in Oshkosh, Wisconsin USA. We were watching it on tv this morning. It was minus 6 degrees below zero F. The water temperature was 32 degrees F. Everyone said the water provided warmth. It's sure not something I would do. dooley

 

Very brave, the heart could stop in extremely cold water.

K

 

They are out of their ever loven` minds !

 

Nooooooooooo I just couldn't. At BEST I can stand on shore with a hot cuppa in my hand and watch (well out of the way of even so much as an errant splash of ice cold water!)

We have the same tradition here. People job around the lake and then line up to plunge in.

We have two groups - one who does this Boxing Day and another group who takes the plunge January 1st.

All I can say is BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!

 

DOOLEY--You are a wise one. -6 is wayyyy cold.

KATE--They are indeed brave ones.

MART--.......and indeed outta their ever-lovin' minda. hahahaha.

ISLAND--I'm with you on the Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr-ing.

 

Wooo ... C-R-A-Z-Y!!!
Hot as it is here I would not get into the water without my wet suit.

 

heh heh heh....I hear that mate.

 

A "snow bird" is what I want to be. you leave the snowy North and migrate South for the Winter where the weather is a bit more moderate... not -9 or -15 with wind chills in the -20's or - 30's or even colder. I don't want to shovel snow or scrape windshields, bundle up in gloves, boots, long johns, wool socks, mittens, down filled coats hats etc just to go outside.

 

Gotcha Carolyn. How much longer until you will take the flight?

 

we just got back from being there two weeks. while the weather wasn't warm at least it wasn't sub zero either. went fishing a few times (kevin did) did a work project on a church (rewiring a kitchen, lobby and vestibule and installed new LED lights at the same time), played games with an older couple many evenings, went to a citrus grove a bird sanctuary and a historical water pumping station from off the rio grande river walked up to the border wall looked over in blowing misting freezing cold weather in Mc Allen, and picked lemons and grapefruit from another friends tree (about a bushel of each)... just did a lot of nothing else. planning on it again next year maybe. it was nice. I had nothing too much to worry over at home no animals in the back yard anymore the children are young adults.... it is a grand time of our adult lives... I think this is the "golden years".

this was a 24 hour drive from home... 99% highways at top speed. we got caught in rush hour traffic in Austin all the way to San Antonio...ugh!

 

Our 'snow birds' are the people that go down to the states for a few weeks in winter. Many to where there is square dancing. November 29 is Square Dance Day in the United States.