Christmas Polar Plunge

Emma goes numb

(Emma) Christmas Day 2010. I am out looking at the hilarious Adelie penguins jumping in and out of the water. Then I hear faintly in the background “Did you know that today is the POLAR PLUNGE?” “OH NO!” I think. The polar plunge is when you jump into the freezing cold Antarctic waters, and get out nearly the second you impact the water! Today the water is 28.8.F so, below freezing. I go back to the ship to put on my bathing suit. All geared up in my robe and my muck boots, I go out with an unsure feeling coming upon me.

Alex levitates before hitting the water

8 people plunge before me, but I am the first of the family who will jump. I stand on the ice that is slowly freezing my feet. I step into the sopping wet harness. The harness is there because if anything were to happen, like your heart stops or you get frost bitten, they could pull you out like a frozen, dead fish on a line. That makes me feel really good about going in. There is no turning back now. I stand there with a worried face, looking at the icy water. Ice is starting to form in the below-zero death zone. Finally, I realize that the best way to do it is to just run and jump; the penguins can do it, so why cant I? “Run and jump, run and jump!” Then my body reacts. RUN and… JUMP!

Dana shows off her frozen butterfly

I go up in the air, my feet touch the water and go numb. Then quickly afterwards I cannot feel my whole body. I move steadily over to the ladder. My feet slip multiple times trying to get up. Finally, I get out, but that does nothing to help my frozen feet. One hour later I am still watching crazy people jump in to the icy waters. Even though you might call me whacko, not many people get to say, “That’s right, I have been swimming in Antarctica!” But now I can. And here’s the video: