Newlyweds among those taking icy plunge at Peachland
Newcomer plans to swim in Okanagan Lake once a month after braving chilly waters for polar bear dip at Peachland
It’s remarkable enough that about 50 people willingly ran into Okanagan Lake at Peachland on Jan. 1. But it’s even more noteworthy, or admirably odd depending on your perspective, that John Youngblut will do it again next month. And the month after that. And so on all through 2018.
“We just moved to Peachland this summer. This is my first year doing the polar bear dip here,” Youngblut said after emerging from the 2 C waters on New Year’s Day.
“My goal is to go into the lake once a month, every month, for the first year we’re here,” Youngblut said. “So me and my friends are going to be doing the same thing in February, March, April, etc., etc.”
An icy wind off the lake coupled with an air temperature of -8 C kept the number of swim participants below that of recent years. However, there was the usual assortment of colourfully clad revellers, including Mayor Cindy Fortin dressed as Supergirl, middle-aged men in housecoats and Speedos, and teens in bikinis and board shorts.
Suzie Stephens was dressed in a white dress and her husband Rick sported a T-shirt with a tuxedo imprint. Reason? They were married this past year and wanted to recreate the plunge they took into balmier waters.
“We were married on July 19 on a sailboat. After we were married, we jumped in the water, so we thought we’d put on married stuff again and jump in today,” Rick said. “It’s a lot colder than it was then.”
Most participants hit the water, got in knee or hip deep, then beetled back to shore as quickly as they could. A few, however, seemed to luxuriate in the lake, swimming out to the edge of Swim Bay and even dog-paddling for a while before taking up a lifeguard’s suggestion to return to dry, if not warm land.
“If you’re going in, you might as well make it a memorable experience,” Trevor Hoskins said, explaining his protracted swim. “Besides, this has cured me of ever wanting to do this again.”
My goal is to go into the lake once a month, every month, for the first year we’re here.
John Youngblut