As some of you may know, I recently opened my big mouth and said I would jump in the Schuylkill River on January 1st during Pottstown’s Parks & Rec Polar Bear Plunge.
You can read all about the Plunge in the Mercury article here.
Weather.com is calling for a partly sunny day on Saturday, high around 47 degrees. Not too bad for January 1st… I guess. The thing is, I don’t really like swimming unless the air temp is, like, 97 degrees and the water is about 90 degrees. Right about now I’m getting cold feet just thinking about this Plunge. So, I’m looking for some feedback in the poll below. Please, don’t be cruel. Cut me some slack. Think about my overall health and wellness. Help me find a way out of this!
Positively Pottstown blog 
Sue,
The folks from the Collegeville water rescue team, who make sure nobody floats away, all wear wet suits.
So if they do, why don’t you if you have access to one?
After all, you’re a professional.
YES!
Unfortunately, the impetus for this poll comes from the ridicule I am receiving from my husband who:
(a) has no idea why anyone would want to jump in the river on Jan. 1st and
(b) has no idea why anyone who said they would jump in the river would then wear a wetsuit when no one in the photo from last year’s Plunge is wearing a wetsuit.
I do not know what you mean by the statement, “After all, you’re a professional.” A professional what???
At the very least, I hope to be one less body for the water rescue team to have to worry about going into cardiac arrest.
Having covered the Polar Bear Plunge for two consecutive years, I can happily report that it doesn’t matter what you plunge, so long as you plunge deeply (No, don’t go there, you of the nasty minds; just stay on topic).
Therefore, Sue, I suggest full clothing, one bare foot, plunge big toe only. Surround yourself with valued and trusted friends who will ensure you won’t get pushed in accidentally … and who will not purposely push you in themselves.
Members of the Pottstown blogging community might volunteer for this hazardous duty, but then your ability to judge “friends” becomes woefully suspect.
Grins,
Joe Zlomek, The Sanatoga Post
I am of like mind regarding the depth and breadth of “the plunge.” If my hands and feet are not covered by a wetsuit, isn’t that sufficient plunging? Also, wetsuits don’t actually keep you dry, just warmer as your body heats up the water between your skin and the suit. Isn’t that a sufficient communing with nature?
Thanks for the heads-up: I will not get near the water’s edge unless I am outfitted properly for the unscrupulous actions of so-called “friends”!
Sue, you need more than a wetsuit in that Schuylkill Punch, you need a hazmat suit and some pre-plunge antibiotics! I decree your theme song from January 1st on is “Every Woman”.. you go Sue!
Well, I wasn’t going to go there. Trying to remain positive, you know! But maybe there should be a doctor handing out prescriptions to all participants…
I heard that you were previously required to attend (insert Conveniently Scheduled Meeting Here) at the precise time of said Plunge and therefore cannot be bound to ill timed Pottstown Parks & Rec Polar Bear Plunge….cough cough yeah thats the ticket.
Hmmm… yes, I’ve been called away to attend garbled such-and-such of the so-and-so association of hrrumph…
I’ve been to its meetings. Not long enough. Maybe Evan can whip up an emergency session of Borough Council on the fly.
Well Joe, an “emergency” meeting of council is kind of an oxymoron.
Perhaps (although I suspect she is of sterner stuff) Sue could “swoon” just as she is supposed to plunge.
“I do declare, Mr. Darcy (in her best affected Blanche DuBois accent), I believe I’ve come down with a case of the vapors…”
SWOON?? NEVER!!
I have the wetsuit and I’m goin’ in!
Evan…she’s not that type of girl. ‘Streetcar’, really? It certainly sounds like this ‘train to the plunge’ is NOT named Desire!!
I see Sue as a much more earthy, well-rounded, fun-loving person…I mean if we’re going southern accents I think I’d tend to go Melanie in ‘GWTW” (tho’ she has enough hutspa to be Scarlett, her hear reminds me of Melanie).
Funny – thanks for the laugh! Happy New Year to you (& all the rest of the readers)!!
Sue, you gotta do what you gotta do – do it with your own style, you get all wet and I consider it a plunge – doesn’t matter what you wear!!
Best of luck and get a shower soon after!
Sue you are brave for even considering it! Let us know what you decide!
She did it.
I saw her.
Well I saw her before……
Hmm, now that I think about it. I didn’t actually SEE her go in.
But no one would drive all the way here from N.J., don a wet suit, and NOT go in.
So I stand by my first statement.
She did it.
(Braver than me)
Evan – see my sister’s comments above – regarding the bravery. Because it was actually pretty mild, it was more about the “goop” than anything else!
Ok, so my big sis went and did this and we( myself and 2 boys) joined her AND my older son one even joined her. the big question is- why don the wetsuit? it takes away the thrill of the chill and the entire dare of entering freezing waters is obsolete; however, i suppose health issues are of the utmost importanc ehere. Honestly, after viewing the Polar Plunge in P-town- i think the stench and knowing what goop, and sewage is touching your body is of far greater concern that the actual temperatures. Just my take and it was a cool event to watch ( saw some of my P-ville students too!)and as always – GREAT to see my sister Sue!!!
Happy New YEAR and Congrats on your 1st plunge.
Thanks for coming out and bringing the boys – awesome surprise! Yeah, the wetsuit is a wimp-out move as far as the cold, but it was so totally gross in there, which I did not expect! I would do the wetsuit again no matter what. My feet went numb in about 10 seconds in that water; that is scary. My hat’s off to the really crazy people who were mostly exposed and even ducked under!
I saw Sue in the wet suit before the plunge. I didn’t actually see her go in. After the plunge I smelled her heading my way. I didn’t need to ask if she really did it, we just nick named her “Sue Le Pew”, (distant cousin of Pepe).
In the would of the famous Pepe: “Un smelle vous finay”!!!