Here's what we did when the mercury yesterday at noon stood at 8 below zero. (The water, at 32 degrees, was 40 degrees warmer than the air!)

For those of you with a broadband connection, see the video I shot here: Peguin Plunge (broadband)

If you're on a dial-up, click this one (quality is marginal): Penguin Plunge (dial-up)

That guy in the red suit must be the resident Psychiatrist.

... right?

[color:"green"]> That guy in the red suit must be the resident Psychiatrist.

> ... right?[/color]

If he is the resident psychiatrist, he picked up a lot of new clients on Saturday. There were 620 people who took the "plunge" as part of our annual winter carnival.

Just wondering -- do they have any kind of limitations on what you can wear when you do this "plunge"? Seemed like a wide range of clothing.

P.S. I didn't see Kevin Rose jumping in the water.

Mary,

Like so many of these types of events, the wilder the costume, the more likely one is to be picked up by the press. For the most part, though, it was tshirt and shorts. The most dangerous part of the whole thing was the ramp leading to the water. The easiest way to get into 32 degree water is a flying leap. While running for the water, a few folks slipped on the ramp and went down hard on icy concrete. Not much harm done, though, except minor embarrassment. The woman with the giant breasts costume would have been well padded had she slipped.

Still wondering whether you have ever actually done this yourself. We need some subjective feedback.

Your post came right after I had watched a woman swimming a mile in Antarctica.

Mary,

While I haven't done the plunge, when visiting friends with a sauna, the ritual is to get good and hot and then step outside to douse with water from a standpipe in the snow (or, simply roll in the snow). I also teach a cold water paddling clinic each spring. Water temp is about 35 degrees and we go out to play, upside down and rightside up. We roll the boats over, exit, and practice reentry techniques, all of which are made more difficult by limbs that are quickly losing dexterity in the cold water.

Next year, maybe I'll do the plunge