Social Question

naivete's avatar

Why do people do polar bear swims?

Asked by naivete (2463points) December 31st, 2009

A polar bear swim is where people go swimming in freezing cold water.

Here in Vancouver it’s on the first day of every new year.

What is the meaning behind this?
Is it just for fun?

Just wondering…

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19 Answers

DeanV's avatar

I would assume it’s for the adrenaline rush.

Me, however, I’d probably wimp out.

naivete's avatar

@Mike_Hunt How? Doesn’t your body go all numb? Is that the “feel good” part?

Zen_Again's avatar

I don’t even watch it on TV unless I am next to a roaring fire with a cup of tea in hand.

Michael_Huntington's avatar

because it feels free and liberating.
feels free and liberating man

naivete's avatar

@Mike_Hunt Well, uhm, thank you!

ChocolateReigns's avatar

Well here in Minnesota they do it for charities. The local news crew does it for publicity and to show that they “care about charities”.

naivete's avatar

@ChocolateReigns Now that makes sense. Thanks (:

Silhouette's avatar

More balls than brains. It’s nuts.

faye's avatar

They do it here, too.(central Alberta) They often have to break and remove ice in a nearby lake so they can jump in. I’m quite sure it would stop my heart! And they say they do it for fun.

Zen_Again's avatar

@Silhouette Yes, until they jump in. Then the reverse happens.

Silhouette's avatar

@Zen_Again Oh God! I actually got a visual from your comment.

rooeytoo's avatar

@Silhouette – hehehe me too, kind of like a slurpey suckey noise and they were all gone!
And did you get a flash of the look on the guy’s face.

Whoever said women aren’t visual???

jaytkay's avatar

One year I jumped into Lake Michigan 12 months in a row. It was for fun and bragging rights, it’s something most people wouldn’t do.

Silhouette's avatar

@rooeytoo I did, it looked like he had a mouthful of hot meatballs. Inhaling for all he was worth tyring to cool them off. hehehe

Darwin's avatar

My daughter did it for the t-shirt.

rooeytoo's avatar

@Darwin – I can understand that. I have a collection of t shirts from assorted 10 k runs, tennis tournaments, you name it. Some from a lot of years ago. And I value each and every one.

Qwertymuffin411's avatar

I did it once just to say I did it.

jonsblond's avatar

I’ve always wanted to try it. I love doing crazy stuff like this just to say I did it. I went sledding by myself last night after midnight, with a windchill of -4F, just so I could say I went sledding under the light of a blue moon on New Years. :)

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