The 2009 Penguin Plunge!

Rescue workers?  Who needs rescue workers?







Last known warm photo







On the way to the 'pool deck'







The Plunge!







Diving in.  Notice the icicle handrails.








Chris, Jessica and Basi on a quick out-and-back







Chris and Jessica trying to complete (survive?) the 30-yard swim







Basi and Jessica, collecting shoes on the way back to dry land





 

Back on dry land.  Still freezing, but happy to be alive.  If you count, you'll notice we lost two Muffintops from the 1st photo.  We're hoping to find them sometime after the spring thaw.

Thanks to everyone who donated!

Well, the Penguin Plunge was yesterday, and let me tell you it was cold! That should go without saying. Anytime a pool is covered with 2 feet of ice, you know it is not swimming weather. Notwithstanding, it was for us...

The team put on swimsuits and then went to a tent to await our turn to jump into Lake Champlain’s 32.5 degree water. Our team number was 46. When we arrived at the waiting area they were only up to team number 35. Do you know when you go to the DVM you have to wait in line forever, hoping and praying you’ll get your turn? Well, this was nothing like that. It was more like a countdown to an imminent, icy demise. It was during this wait that Jessica and a few of the other die-hards decided they were going to crank it up a notch and swim to the other side of the opening, about a 25 yard round-trip. Maybe 30. By the way, let me add no one else on our team or any other team was making the journey.

Our team number was called and we ran out towards the lake, stopping to take a few good-natured pictures, then launched into the icy water at full speed. Oh my god!  Let me rephrase that.  Oh my god!  It was freezing! My body immediately stopped working. My legs froze. My arms froze. My chest contracted so much it was impossible to breathe. My one and only thought was “Get me the hell out of here!” It was a complete and total mammalian life-preserving reflex. I turned around and slogged my way back to the shore, which must have taken 10 times as long to get to as it took going in the water, as not a single one of my muscles would respond to mental commands.

Meanwhile, Jessica, Chris and Basi (the die-hards), swam out to the far side of the ice and were heading back. I saw Jessica had lost her shoes, Crocks. From reading the stories on the internet I knew she would need them to keep her feet from freezing to the pavement on the way out of the lake, so I yelled “Don’t forget your Crocks!”. Which is not really accurate. As I had said, every one of my muscles had shut down, including my tongue, so my warning cry came out more like “Duuhhn fuuugnnuuu u cruuus”. The three die-hards, who regularly swim 10-15 miles per week, were having a really hard time making it 80 feet. The cold water caused Jessica to try to swim in the fetal position, arms working about as well as those of a T-Rex. Long, lean swimming strokes were replaced with a combination doggie-paddle / moonwalk.  Actually, come to think of it, her swimming looked more like she was trying to make shadow puppets of geese. For someone as comfortable in the water as a dolphin, she had a look of complete terror on her face whil the rescue workers on the side of the ice had the look of “There’s always some ding-a-lings who try to swim across and back.” Well, they did make it back, but later asked me why I didn’t join them. Yeah. As if.

The Muffintops regrouped for a very quick photo on the way back to the warming tent. On the way in, I yelled over my shoulder to my daughter Katie, our team photographer, “Did you get any good pictures?" (pronounced “dooo yooo geee guuuu p-p-p-p-p-p-pictuuuu?”) She yelled back “No! Go back in!”

We made it to the warming tent, dried off, got changed, and then for the next 17 hours slowly warmed up. It’s been a full 24 hours and I think I’m almost back to normal. One more hot apple cider with butterscotch schnapps and I should be there.

Thanks for everyone who donated. There should be an open spot on the team if you are looking for a nice place to swim next February.


- Steve