Cold Water Swimming

Many people, when telling that I'm member of the ice bear club, asking me if I'm crazy and telling they think they would freeze to death. I can assure that it's very healthy and when coming out of the water you get a glow from the inside of your body that makes you feel warm and very good. The first dive I did was last year on Jan 1st. 2009. We were in the Ardennen and it was one of the coldest days that year. As in plenty of cities and villages, they organized a new year's swim in the lac de L'Eau d'Heure. As I decided already some time before participating the expedition to the North Pole, I wanted to give it a try. First a 5 km run, and then into the water. Outside temperature was about -10C, water temperature 4C. As there were not that many participants and I stayed a bit longer than the rest in the water, I was interviewed by a camera crew of RTL and the item was broadcasted in the new of 7 o'clock.

This dive was the trigger to become member of an outdoor swimming club, the Deurnse IJsberen. Every week on Tuesday, between 6.30 and 7pm we swim in an ecological pond in a gorgeous park, where it's oh so silent and the smell of the trees and the fresh water make you high. Last week, the oldest member - she's 85 years young - stopped. The darkness in the park and the slippery paths made her insecure.