The deceptively
brilliant sunshine was beautiful, but no match for the frigid air. The
thermometer was at a near record cold, around 2°,
with a wind chill reported at -22°. That did not
stop the many dozens of would-be polar bears from plunging, nor the hundreds of
spectators who lined the frozen shore.
Actual polar
bears, of course, are well adapted to their natural arctic habitat and superbly
insulated with a double layer of dense fur. The nearly naked human bodies that
made the plunge into Lake Michigan’s approximately 33° water were clearly not so well adapted. While
those who chose to partake entered the water bravely enough, a quick plunge
left many gasping in shock.
Steam rose eerily
from the warm bodies as they climbed from the water and dried off before
dressing.
The spectators, by
and large, were suitably prepared for the conditions. We do live in Wisconsin,
after all.
The geese that
were loitering out on the lake were unperturbed by the cold or the commotion.
To see more photos
of the polar bear plunge go to my Flickr album.
No comments:
Post a Comment