Sometimes, I’m a little crazy. But then you knew that already; that’s why you keep coming back time and time again, right? However, this story has less to do with me being crazy (OK, maybe a little to do with me being crazy) and more to do with my intensely competitive streak. You see, it all started with our first shore landing to Spitsbergen, day two of the expedition cruise. Where the landscape looked something like this:
Those are life-sized ICEBERGS, lest you be confused. It was slightly cold. Like one would assume in the Arctic. So the last thing you were expecting is for me to strip down to my skivvies like so—right?
Or maybe you were. Because at this point, I’m sure little that I do actually surprises you. But how about this?
That’s me SWIMMING—sans wetsuit—in the freakin’ Arctic Ocean. The crazy began when a Swedish guy stripped down to the nude and dove in. Not wanting to be upstaged—again, the competitive streak reared its ugly head—I felt the need to follow. Luckily, I had thought to put my bathing suit on under two layers of long johns earlier that morning, because I had no desire to be entirely naked in front of 60 cruise passengers and a handful of colleagues. But it was worth it; I mean, what’s hypothermia when you get an official “Polar Bear” certificate? Nothing, I tell you.
And then, two photographers came around the corner and missed the action, so naturally they wanted us to do it all again. And we did. Because we’re nut jobs like that. And while I’d like to sound even more hardcore than I am and say that the water temp was well below zero, the truth of the matter is that it was a balmy 37 degrees Fahrenheit. But that’s just how we roll.
Polar Dip from krysleigh on Vimeo.
(I spent the remainder of the day chugging tea and wrapped up in a duvet. I’m hardcore, but not that hardcore it turns out.)
**Many thanks to Jennifer from Hurtigruten for filming and taking pics for me!
That’s awesome! That first picture makes it look like you are levitating, so apparently you have super-powers too!
Welcome to the club! Your certificate doesn’t give you the latitude – do you happen to know?
I swam at 77 North. I didn’t swim from shore – I dived off the side of the ship in my bikini.
I thought that I would go straight for a hot shower when I got back on board but a funny thing happened. All the blood had rushed to the surface of my skin, so I was actually red hot after my swim.
An Ice Swimming Certificate? I want one! (I love that you jumped in. LOVE. And that water is such a gorgeous shade of blue!)
Yowza. And way to go. I thought I was daring for getting in the water in Oregon.
I love your can-do attitude! That water is FREEZING, even if it is a “balmy 37 degrees Fahrenheit.” I use a wetsuit at Malibu, and the temp hovers around 60 degrees at this time of year.
You are NUTS and I LOVE IT.
I was really, really hoping somebody was going to hand you a towel because I was starting to shiver just watching.
And oddly enough, I think watching this made me a little bit braver. How ’bout that?
You ARE nuts, but I understand. You can’t just pass up opportunities like that
You are crazy! I am impressed… But no desire to do that myself!
u r crazy! but your pictures from this trip are amazing!
You are one wild and crazy woman. I love you for it. I’m way more into warm water and hot springs myself. But who could pass up an opportunity like this. Plus so ready for anything, wearing a bikini under your long johns.
The scenery is breathtaking. Love the iceberg couch. Where can I order one for hot days? LOL!
that makes swimming at southern maine’s beaches seem kind of tame. awesome video!!
Oh my god, I think I would still be recovering from a dip in the Arctic! What a great story it made for though.
I am shivering just looking at you, woman! very, very cool. I love that you are a little bit crazy!!!
Props to you!!
I’m cold just thinking about it!!!
Many, why was I not with you on this trip?
Oh yeah, because I would have ended up with pneumonia from doing this with you! LOL
Wow, that was amazing! You continue to inspire me!
I am frozen just reading about this. BRRRRRRR.
You’re a nutter but at least you’re not a guy and you don’t have sensitive organs that can freeze and just fall off, right?
You, my dear, are insane. But it also looked like a hell of a lot of fun.
Fantastic!!! I so would have jumped in there with you. That’s great that you got the certificate, photos, AND a video. Yay! What a cool adventure my friend.
Wow, that looks cold but fun! At least you are now reveling in pastries.
I’m gasping for air and I’m sitting in a 75 degree house fully clothed.
No one got a good enough picture of your balls, because you totally have them.
I was going to say that could not be hypothermia temperature for you to actually do that!! I’d totally join you at 37 degrees! Maybe just for a second, but still!
Congrats on your certificate! You are hard core.
Yep, sometimes streaking in zero degrees makes sense too! Very cool certificate.
Oh my God that is awesome, my husband would be so jealous if I showed him this, he wants to do the cruise and the polar bear dip, I love the cold, but water like that, that is more than I think I can take. Did you give more details in another post about the cruise you were on? Or did you just happen to be in the same location as the cruise ship?
This is something you would want to show your grandchildren!! So cool!
Madness! I’ve fought against the local tradition of swimming in the sea at Christmas in the UK..this is another league entirely.
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Drop by if you get the chance and pass it on,
Somehow, I am NOT surprised
That is crazy! And I thought the people in Chicago who do that in the winter in Lake Michigan were nuts!
I’m still so mad I missed hanging out with you in Chicago on your impromptu layover!
infreakingcredible! Love that you dove in first! You are a goddess
You, my dear, are out of your mind. I shivered as I got out of my parent’s pool last night, and that’s with both water temp and air temp near 80!
Right now a polar bear swim sounds awesome because I can not cool off to save my life.
You are awesome for doing this not once but twice!
She’s not MY daughter!
You are waaaaaay more hardcore than I. That was awesome!
Unless you get an ACTUAL polar bear after the swim, there is no way in hell I’d do it.
That’s freaking crazy!!!!
Great story though you must be mad. And all for a certificate and a vid…and some pride.
oh my god! that’s crazy! just watching you do it, made me freeze. Katherine hepburn went swimming every single day of her life until 92 years old in the Connecticut ocean, which is north of NY, rain, snow or shine.
she said it jump started her heart! she was a very active member of the polar bear club.