It’s February, the polar vortex is breathing down our necks, and I can’t stop dreaming about swimming -- preferably in water at least 65 degrees, but I’d give it a go even at a few degrees lower. Some of my friends consider me a cold water swimmer, and while I may bask in their acclaim, I simultaneously feel the imposter syndrome kick in. Real cold water swimmers would find temps in the 60s balmy.
I especially admire the British and their affinity with bodies of water of all kinds. That small island kingdom has spawned numerous hardy aquaphiles - some famous, or infamous, like the Romantic Poet Lord Byron. And there’s the extreme cold water swimmer and ocean advocate, Lewis Pugh, who in 2007 swam in water just below freezing at the North Pole, without a wetsuit.
My coldest immersion was in Lake Michigan near Sleeping Bear Dunes. The temperature was in the high 50s and once I acclimated, I didn’t want to get out. I was mesmerized. Paddling along, I began to experience a state of euphoria, which I eventually realized was the beginning of hypothermia -- luckily in time to pull myself out.
Still, I’m drawn to -- if not cold -- at least cool water, where I can stretch out and swim a while. Our bodies, after all, are mostly water, and I find that when I’m in my natural element, I feel most alive -- invigorated, watchful and yes, fluid.
I’m Paula Garrett and that’s my perspective.
Thanks to artist Nancy Farmer of Somerset, England, for permission to use her piece "Bubbles II" to illustrate this Perspective by Paula Garrett, who is a major fan of her artwork. You can see more at waterdrawn.com
