Polar Plungers Bear Chilly, Wild Streaks

Author: Cragin Brown Staff Writer

If the frigidity of Vermont winters isn't enough to chill you to the bone, joining the Middlebury Polar Bearing Club may be a bare necessity. Every Thursday night this semester, 30 to 40 of Middlebury's bravest caravan to nearby lakes for some often cold, always fun and very nude swimming.

Ringleaders for the group are Oren Frey '02 and Piper Platte '02 who were the two most enthusiastic participants two years ago as sophomores. Frey believes that the group has truly evolved since "it has increased tremendously in popularity; it's like a revolution."

Although the Bears have no designated membership, somehow the club is able to continuously load up two 15-passenger vans and a suburban and dump them off, only to rip off their clothing and delve into the shivery waters of Lake Dunmore.

Frey commented on the club's reliability on word of mouth as a means to recruit swimmers, "We get the word out at the Student Activities Fair to get a voice mail list going, and then the word just gets around. People bring their friends, it's a really spontaneous thing."

But while spontaneity may help as motivation, the thought of the water's temperature can be sobering to say the least. Even after years of membership, Frey expressed to me the anxiety he experiences before every swim he takes, "Normally you just want to get there and just get in right away." However, despite the initial shock, Polar Bears describe their experiences as a "rush," that is both "refreshing" and "renewing."

After their plunge into such waters as Lake Dunmore, Middlebury and New Haven Rivers and Bristol Falls, the naked and now exceedingly cold students re-clothe and gather in a circle for what Frey refers to as "Polar Bear rituals." From the "Polar Bear Anthem" to the "Little Mary Walker dance," these customs serve as a kind of "ice-breaker" for the group, so that they may display themselves on a more (cough cough) "intimate" level.

Despite its appeal, even Polar Bears hibernate in the winter. The last Thursday of classes will mark the final chance of the semester for the nakedly inclined to dive into the fun. Frey cites that although certain individuals do brave the elements, the "numbers dwindle as the weather starts getting cold."

Conversely, some folks embrace the harsh weather for the greater good. The annual "Penguin Plunge" serves as a state-wide fundraiser for the Special Olympics, and the Bears hope for a large contingency of Middlebury students this year. Participants collect pledges on the precedent that they will jump through a carved out hole on Lake Champlain's icy surface in February. For information contact Frey or the Middlebury Mountain Club.

Only a few weeks remain for you to embrace your inner streaking side and take the plunge with the Polar Bears. Bored on a Thursday? Why not defy mother nature and dare to disrobe?