Barbara

First Dip September 10, 2023

I have spent years with a low functioning thyroid and I am often cold. It is not a pleasant feeling for me. Until a few months ago I associated cold dipping with a training swim I did in the Bay in a wet suit 20 plus years ago that ended early because my heart was beating so fast I found it hard to breathe and my limbs felt like tree trunks. I had convinced myself that swimming in the Bay was dirty, cold, and miserable.

In 2023, I started seeing posts and articles about cold dipping. I was drawn to it in a way that I cannot explain. I reached out to a group on Instagram in my area, packed my bag, got up early, put on my suit, and was greeted at the beach by a wonderful group of women who told me what to expect, held my hand as I got in the water, and opened up a new experience for me.

I continue dipping because of how it affects my entire being. I love the way our community of dippers supports each other, the spiritual feeling of grounding my feet on the beach and then walking into the water, how the fierce cold I feel as I walk in the water on my feet, my fingertips, and under my arms grows tolerable, the way my body moves in the water, my transition from being a bystander to becoming part of each new day, that every day looks and feels different, and how I feel empowered and accomplished I feel later in the day.