“It was terrifying and uncomfortable and thrilling… I craved it — the frigid cold, the numb toes, the shivering, and especially the giggles. I realized I’d stopped giggling.”

“In the cold water there isn’t space for anything but truth… I found my heart friends, and it might be the cold water’s greatest gift.”

“It was love at first dip… it was the moment that I realized that ‘I can do hard things’… I am alive, thanks to the water.”

“When I went and felt the pull of the women… I felt like a different person when I emerged. I immediately changed my bucket list.”

“Here where the waves kiss the sand… I thank my students who show up with love and enthusiasm… I thank the earth, this land and water.”

“Water is the antidote to disengagement for me; it expands my sense of self, sense of community, and awakens me to the profound world that is nature.”

“That first cold hug brought me to literal tears. I was immediately hooked… dropping it off early in the cold water somehow makes anything and everything hard, easier.”

“My fear still wades in with me every morning… when I get out, no matter the weather, the word ‘triumphant’ scrolls across my thoughts.”

“Getting in the water every day… has allowed me to tap into a power and compassion for others, especially for myself. My days are filled with joy.”

“I’ve fallen in love with the community — this band of salty, soulful women who rise at dawn to meet the day and commune with nature.”