Lydia Irene

Polar-Bearing 

Definition: jumping into the ocean in the morning.  Not only crazy, but freezing.  (Urban Dictionary)

A few tips:

1. Go with someone else so your bravery isn’t wasted on just the ocean. ;)
2. Stay in as long as you can bear it…about 20 min. during a March storm. When you can’t feel the cold anymore, you have about 5 min. left.
3. When in the water, stay as active as possible.  Screaming when a wave hits, riverocean-dancing, and fleeing from your intent-on-dunking-you brother are all excellent ways of keeping your circulation moving.  
4. When you’ve had enough, choose an opportune moment (when your partner isn’t watching) and start sprinting for the house as fast you can.  It now becomes a race to the showers to see who can get the hot water first.
5. It’s actually a good sign if your fingers and toes start hurting like the dickens when you’re trying to warm up.
6. The hot water won’t last more than 5 min. so afterwards find a heater (or the oven!) and shiver in front of it for 10 min. as the water boils for a big cup of black tea!
7. Standard time for regaining normal body temperature is about 1 hour.
8. Repeat as desired. (I’ve gone twice this morning already…)

Yesterday afternoon, our family drove down to Pacific City for a weekend at the beach.  Contrary to the weather reports of continual rain, the weather actually has been quite pleasant.  This morning Karl and I went polar-bearing and the water was not nearly as frigid as I suspected.  Now the sun is beginning to break through the clouds and I’m thinking we’ll head down to the water for some body-surfing time. :)