Polar Plunge To Ring In The New Year

January 1, 2013

On a cold day like today...

    Probably the last thing on most people's minds would be taking a dip in the lake...

    But you'd be surprised to find out, that's how some rang in the New Year...

        It was more of a polar plunge...

    As several divers went flippers first into the ice cold bay...

    Instructors tell us it's one thing to just dive, but it's another thing to prepare your body for the sting of the cold waters.

We're told the initial shock is when you first get in that cold water hits your face and especially if you're in a wet suit, the wet suit has to warm up in the water.

    But for those first timers, dry suits are more appropriate... You just unzip and you're dry again, hence the name.

    These freezing temps wake you right up on New Year's Day...and for Mike Moulton, he dove in whole heartedly.

    But other than the cold...divers worry about the lack of visibility.

    That's why the sheriff's Department Scuba Team was called... They're trained to work through these conditions, and help people if necessary.

    There's also a time limit of how long your body can handle the cold waters. Usually if you're in wetsuit there's a limit to 15 minutes and for dry suits 20 minutes at a time. You lose body heat so much faster in water in water than you do in air, so they limit your water time so you don't lose feeling or major things happen.

The number one priority is obviously keeping divers safe.

    The sport is well regulated and there's a team of people on constant watch...

    But all of the divers tell us they do this annually because they truly love the sport.

    If this is something you'd be interested in... There are classes available Divers World of Erie www.scubaerie.com