A lot of people do Polar Bear Dips as part of a charity event or some other noble cause. Then there are the Van Osches. These cousins of mine are a special breed of people. You may remember them from a few of my earlier posts, including the awesome Blindfold Game.
Well a few years back, on St. Patrick’s Day (that’s March 17!), my brave and idiotic kin thought it would be a good idea to take a swim in Lake Huron behind their house near Goderich, Ontario. Unfortunately I couldn’t get the video to work properly but here are a few photos to give you a taste of their “just because” dip (and yes, those are sheets of ice they’re jumping off of). You may be asking, “where is their mother during all this?” Yeah. She’s the one behind the camera.
A second time? Sure, why not.
Some memorable quotes from the gang during their swim:
- “OK, Shawn, see how long you can stay under… Just don’t die doing it please.” — Bridget… their mother
- “I can’t breathe.” – Ria
- “Ohhhhhh!! My veins are going to EXPLODE!” – Luke
- Shawn: [screaming incoherently]
Bridget: Brain freeze?
Shawn: Yeah… [followed by more screaming] - “My stomach… I think I might throw up.” – Ria
- “It must be really tiring swimming in freezing cold water.” – Luke
- “Happy St. Patrick’s Day everybody!” — Bridget
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I love the Van Osches! Classic.