Mr. Sneaky Pants Takes a Winter Dip in Lake Superior

 

Ever since we saw a group of middle aged women plunge into the icy waters of Lake Superior last year on New Years Day, Mr. Sneaky Pants has been itching to go for a winter swim.  We didn’t get around to making that happen last winter, and this year he thought it might be a good tradition for New Years Day.  However, New Years Day was stricken by subzero temperatures down into the -20’s, and I just didn’t think it was a good plan.  A few weeks later, however, the temperature climbed into the 20’s above zero, and we were headed to the beach to play on the icy rocks.  To convince him to come along, I said he could go for a swim if he wanted, as long as the conditions along the shore were safe.  He brought his swim suit, concealed under his clothes.

We found a place along the beach were the water was fairly accessible from where I knew the shore ended.  Mr. SP had lofty plans of dipping in multiple times since I said he could only stay in the water for less than 2 minutes at a time.  Toward the end of our visit, when the others were seeming like they were almost finished playing on the icy rocks, I gave him the go ahead.

In the true fashion of Mr. SP, he immediately discarded his coat.  I reminded him that a towel might be a good idea.  He left his coat, walked back to the car (about a block away) and got a couple of towels.  There were more towels and a fuzzy blanket in the car, but he decided he would’t need those right away.  Then he headed to the edge of the beach (still a block away from his coat, mind you).

Can’t you just taste the anticipation?  And the thread of insanity?  

Here he is, shedding his pants, socks and shoes, and leaving that towel a bit of distance from the water.  No one knows why he just didn’t leave his socks on. 

The first dip:  a toe in the water. 

In he goes.  It was a bit chillier than he anticipated.  He thought the water really would feel warmer than the air. 

Submerged!

Surfaced!  

Oh yes.  It was cold. There was no lingering for nearly 2 minutes as he anticipated.  There was a mad dash back to the shore. 

And then:  the problem of getting back up the icy little ledge.  It was slippery.  His feet were wet.  He stayed here for a bit, and that started to make him seriously grouchy.  We are missing a bunch of images at this point because I was laughing so hard I may have had a small potty accident.  

He was yelling at his sister to bring him the towel for goodness sake!  She laughed at him for a bit as he tried to crawl up that ice.  But she’s a good sister and she retrieved the towel.  Also, I was starting to worry his wet feet would start to freeze to the ice. 

Eventually he managed to crawl up the ice (again, no pictures because I was seriously laughing so hard).  He made it over to where an extra towel was laying on the beach. But, because of poor planning, his pants and shirt were out of reach. His socks and shoes were farther away still.  His coat was still a block down the beach.

The Banana:  Good grief!  Put on your pants at least! Don’t just stand there!

Mr. SP:  (yelling in anger) STOP SAYING THINGS THAT MAKE SENSE!!!!!!!!

Because she’s a good sister, she went over and handed him his pants.  And shoes and socks.  And then she walked back to that abandoned coat and got that too, while he went to the car and turned on the heater, wrapped up in a blanket and warmed up.

There were no multiple trips in the water, but he does have plans on making this an annual tradition.