Another awesome experience - The Polar Plunge!

Waiting in the Scott Base Pub.

The ambient air temperature was -25 degF and with the 20mph wind the windchill was -47.1 degF. The temperature of the seawater was 28 degF. The high salinity of McMurdo Sound lowers the water's freezing point. I wore my swimsuit along with a pair of tennis shoes to protect my feet so they don't freeze to the sea-ice. Several others plunged naked. The wannigan was staffed by both male and female Kiwi's so modesty was out the door. Everyone peeled their frozen swimwear off and changed back into their clothes. The wannigan is small so it was cheek to cheek.


This weekend was Midwinter (which celebrates the Austral winter solstice) in Antarctica and the biggest celebration of the year. The Winter Solstice actually occurs this coming Thursday the 21st but we celebrated with the plunge and dinner on Saturday the 16th.

Getting ready in the wannigan (wet warming hut) towed out onto the sea-ice.

The Kiwi wannigan with a chainsaw cut hole to the right. The ice is a few feet thick in 25 feet of water.

A small slushy 28 degF ice pool.

The Kiwi plunge tender clearing away ice from the surface. The ice skin forms immediately between the plungers. As he cleared away the milky film of ice the water was black and dark.

I gave my camera to one of the firemen to record video so by the time I walked around to jump I was already numb.

The harness was installed inside the wannigan and the line attached outside. In case something happens there are several people ready to pull you out. The Kiwi ladder tender is pointing out where to jump.

Of course at that point I just jumped and missed the suggested hole. I scraped my leg against the ice.

I immediately noticed how salty and dense the water is. It felt almost like jumping on a cushion. I sank until there was about two feet of water over my head then popped up without kicking. It really wasn't cold because I was numb and the water temperature was about 75 degrees higher than outside. However by the time I walked to the wannigan I was covered in a sheet of ice. Now I know why veterans jump naked as prying off a frozen swimsuit is a painful and long process.

A Guinness in the Scott Base Pub after our "swim" in McMurdo Sound.

I scraped my leg against an underwater chunk of ice.

A fine Kiwi morning.

A fellow plunger, nurse Theresa, treated my wound back at McMurdo General Hospital.

Great service!

We had to look out for these guys - Leopard Seals.

They are known as the sharks of Antarctica...

because they attack people. They love penguins!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVEMVMoYVUw&feature=youtu.be

A 90 second video of my plunge.

After my plunge I returned to work then went to the galley at 4 for our very special mid-winter dinner. That follows with a future post.

Another wonderful Antarctic memory!