Polar Plunge 2021

Last year we began a new tradition, not to replace our Swimsuit Snow Angel tradition, but to serve as a placeholder when Mother Nature doesn't cooperate or our efforts are thwarted by a pandemic. Taking the Polar Plunge here in Texas isn't quite the same as taking the Polar Plunge in Wisconsin, where doing the deed generally involves jumping into an ice-covered (except where the jumping is taking place) lake, but jumping into an unheated pool on a cold day and after quite a few cold nights is the best we can do. 

This year we decided it would be fun to celebrate our Polar Plunge tradition while on winter break, so on January 3rd we gathered and literally took the plunge. 

The day turned out to be sunny and warm by January standards; I think the temperature outside at the time of our jump was between 60 and 65 degrees. But after after a week of nightly lows in the mid-30s, the water in the pool was closer to 40 degrees. It wasn't an icy lake, but it certainly wasn't a warm bath either. 

Almost all of the kids jumped in multiple times, just to show the grown-ups how much tougher they are than us. Jenn and I jumped in once, increasing our "streak" of Polar Plunges to two years. (I did, however, force myself to step it up a little this year, jumping off the rock waterfall and going in over my head instead of sliding in off the side of the hot tub.) It was - obviously - freezing, but also exciting and energizing, just like making snow angels in our swimsuits. I LOVE being able to do this one (kind of) crazy thing every year with my kids.

The Polar Plunge isn't for everyone. But I hope that every once in a while you do something that takes your breath away.