My Polar Plunge

"This is stupid," I thought. I was standing in my cabin wearing a bathing suit and a thick terry cloth robe with Ocean Nova embroidered on it. Ocean Nova was the cruise ship that had taken me to Port Lockroy (64^o50'S 63^o30'W) in the Antarctic Peninsula. What I thought was stupid was taking the polar plunge into the icy waters just for the right to brag about it later in life.

I walked down to the deck where we usually exit the ship to board the Zodiac boats that had been taking us to the shore for excursions. I found more than a few of my fellow passengers were willing to take the plunge. Plus the staff were prepared to give each plunger a shot of brandy afterwards. "Okay, I'm doing this," I said to myself.

I was the fifth in line. The process consisted of putting on a life vest and tying a pull line to it. The first plunger suited up and then jumped. A cheer went up from the onlookers. Now standing sans bathrobe in approximated 35^o F temperature I start to feel the cold. Plunger No. 2 goes next. A splash followed by a cheer. Same for plunger No. 3. Then while plunger No. 4 was suiting up there was an unexpected "kersplash." The ship's head chef, a real daredevil, had just jumped off the top deck of the ship without life jacket or safety line. "What a jerk," I thought later. "Just think if the guy got injured -- no food for the passengers."



They fished out the chef and it was back to the process. There goes No. 4 and someone points out that the plungers are not looking at the cameraman taking pictures from the Zodiac at water level. "I will not going to disappoint the cameraman," I resolved.




Now it's my turn. The fricking life vest is freezing and my teeth are chattering big-time. I can't wait to get this over with. I look directly at the cameraman and make a silly face. At least that's what I tell people when they see the pictures. I leap.



"Jesus H. Christ it's cold," I tell myself as I sink below the surface. I feel them pulling me right out of the frigid water. I get some water in my mouth and it's salty alright. I'm so eager to get out that I slam my left heel into the gang plank with a force that leaves it hurting for weeks afterwards.


Okay, I survived. I throw down the brandy and it warms me ever so slightly. I'm shivering full throttle now despite the fact that I have the Ocean Nova robe back on. I hurry back to my room feeling warmer the drier I get. I dry off completely, put on clothes, and lie in my bunk knowing that I did it. The battle's over, the war is won.



Facts:
1) 10 minutes in frigid waters is considered life-threatening.
2) Lynne Cox, world champion open-water swimmer, swam 1.2 mi. off the Antarctic Penisula for 25 minutes.