Polar Bear Swim, Maui Style

Polar Bear swimmers internationally are chipping ice of frozen lakes, rivers and shores to make an entry to plunge into frigid, icy waters. Often they will tie ropes around the swimmers so if they pass out, they don't drift under the ice. Wisconsin advises the swimmers to wear shoes to the shore to prevent cuts on feet from ice and to prevent feet from sticking to snow and ice onshore. Only completely crazy folks would participate in this annual activity on New Years and in January!!

Here on Maui, we also brave our severe winter conditions to partake in our "only sane Polar Bear Swim in the world" a 1.2 mile Ocean Fin Swim Race. There is always a chance of snow on race day.... at higher elevations. This race archive photo reveals Haleakala Crater crowned with snow, validating our polar status.

Maui swim participants are advised to wear flip flops to the beach, as the sand is a bit cold from the prior night. Racers, age 7 to 70, line the beach, the countdown signals the start, we sprint into the water, running in our fins. Not an easy thing to do with a mass of people! I failed to practice this skill, and when I stumbled, I was lucky to be in shin deep water, might as well start swimming! We round orange and yellow icebergs as we swim a triangle over the reef, across the bay, along the cliffs and return. Turtles spectate from below, seeming to stay on the bottom, knowing the high speed of humans on the surface. 74 swimmers entered the water, 74 swimmers crossed the finish line. No one was passed out and found floating under the inflatable icebergs.