Memoirs of Aleisha

Happy New Year!
May 2014 be a good one for you. Good lord, I need it to be.
2013 was a shocker of a year (hence the lack of posts over the last few months. You wouldn’t believe the lousy times I went through). Here’s hoping this year is going to be a lot better.

Anyway, what better way to see in the new year than a New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim! You could say it was a “cool” way to see in the new year. Quite literally. It was freezing.

More like a polar bear dip for me though. Air temp was about 10 degrees. Water temp about 16 degrees and plunge into the water we did. Mind you, I was sporting a severe hangover from the previous night’s New Year’s Eve festivities in Roppongi. Probably hit bed around 3am and had to be up at 8am to make the trek to Hayama Beach in Kanagawa prefecture. I was throwing up on the 1.5 hr train ride down there. Not a pretty sight.

A couple of trains and a bus ride later and a few more throw ups along the way, we made it to the beach.

Crazy windy and freezing. And quite the swell. The waves were rough.

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Ax7KyGH821c6npappSAvTNEAJXZdkKLe2njuguxH8bw?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4XfAM_8cM8s/UsUAke5g6ZI/AAAAAAACdFo/rX2r9UBblbA/s640/IMG_6414.JPG&#8221; height=”480″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/PolarBearDip?authuser=0&amp;feat=embedwebsite”>Polar Bear Dip</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ojxAumCfeh3Anp7J8EvW59EAJXZdkKLe2njuguxH8bw?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-lcYUpHaPhb8/UsUAkTPaLXI/AAAAAAACdFk/0ir-5p7PS38/s640/IMG_6412.JPG&#8221; height=”480″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/PolarBearDip?authuser=0&amp;feat=embedwebsite”>Polar Bear Dip</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/JHPDiSmW-whD3jQrEDh8z9EAJXZdkKLe2njuguxH8bw?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1p99TCiZoy0/UsUAkdSygXI/AAAAAAACdFc/j5r__K7hMH4/s640/IMG_6413.JPG&#8221; height=”480″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/PolarBearDip?authuser=0&amp;feat=embedwebsite”>Polar Bear Dip</a></td></tr></table>

A few of us braved the cold temps, <em>sans</em> wetsuits, of course! The boys got in:

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/XeQiPuTQHF0BwdkWUx1cNtEAJXZdkKLe2njuguxH8bw?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-po_mTGuaveY/UsUAvxwZSOI/AAAAAAACdIA/tlIwy9kzOCo/s640/RIMG0702.JPG&#8221; height=”480″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/PolarBearDip?authuser=0&amp;feat=embedwebsite”>Polar Bear Dip</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/4VugJRsKO5PiprjMzgnsrtEAJXZdkKLe2njuguxH8bw?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-9HJnX_qnQ_U/UsUAw8lsiZI/AAAAAAACdIQ/RemnG9Fgmwo/s640/RIMG0705.JPG&#8221; height=”480″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/PolarBearDip?authuser=0&amp;feat=embedwebsite”>Polar Bear Dip</a></td></tr></table>

Meanwhile, at the water’s edge….(I’m the one in the pink cap):

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/EryuDmFIBPXBEUJ5r_ztfNEAJXZdkKLe2njuguxH8bw?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1xkySEvKBtg/Usj34XlHG9I/AAAAAAACd9k/TaLjPKOHmjw/s640/polar.jpg&#8221; height=”427″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/PolarBearDip?authuser=0&amp;feat=embedwebsite”>Polar Bear Dip</a></td></tr></table>

Am still not convinced about going in:

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/gWKz2OOjSW7EQHl_ONS8UtEAJXZdkKLe2njuguxH8bw?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-XnbpBZRp6vg/Usj2bm8LUsI/AAAAAAACd9A/Ch5VhJGwCHI/s640/dip.jpg&#8221; height=”626″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/PolarBearDip?authuser=0&amp;feat=embedwebsite”>Polar Bear Dip</a></td></tr></table>

C’mon in the water’s lovely.

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Mv7N_7Hv1leJX92C3fri9dEAJXZdkKLe2njuguxH8bw?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-EQDxy6kxkSU/UsUAmw2BS3I/AAAAAAACdGc/8BAAAkXSDRk/s640/IMG_6420.JPG&#8221; height=”480″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/PolarBearDip?authuser=0&amp;authkey=Gv1sRgCObBn4fm9fei6QE&amp;feat=embedwebsite”>Polar Bear Dip</a></td></tr></table>

I finally muster the strength to take the plunge. Might help rid the hangover, me thinks:

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Mie8jtnd7tqFqhp10mbRJNEAJXZdkKLe2njuguxH8bw?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-s98EZkfeGjA/Usj2eTohRZI/AAAAAAACd9I/agPM4ViAZTw/s400/plunge.jpg&#8221; height=”400″ width=”313″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/PolarBearDip?authuser=0&amp;authkey=Gv1sRgCObBn4fm9fei6QE&amp;feat=embedwebsite”>Polar Bear Dip</a></td></tr></table>

Oh holy crap it’s cold!
I couldn’t breathe. I cannot breathe.
I had to get out of the water. Because I couldn’t get in proper breaths, I had to get out of the water. Know your boundaries.
Survived the polar bear dip, but not the swim sadly.
My body did not take kindly to the water especially in the state I was in.

The others did well, and we’re in the water swimming away for at least another 20-30 minutes.

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Vc_PL5I8D_LwzlyVMeMlq9EAJXZdkKLe2njuguxH8bw?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-WdzlVbsVmYI/UsUAmZryNkI/AAAAAAACdGM/GW4Jzt69t90/s640/IMG_6418.JPG&#8221; height=”480″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/PolarBearDip?authuser=0&amp;feat=embedwebsite”>Polar Bear Dip</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/V_AQgpKNfnCjQ18j_x_W7dEAJXZdkKLe2njuguxH8bw?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-uvuIXdhUNk4/UsUAlal2YUI/AAAAAAACdF4/ludcYkXFsBw/s640/IMG_6415.JPG&#8221; height=”480″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/PolarBearDip?authuser=0&amp;authkey=Gv1sRgCObBn4fm9fei6QE&amp;feat=embedwebsite”>Polar Bear Dip</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Hxut6mlTye9itlz_4BNVMNEAJXZdkKLe2njuguxH8bw?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-71GXI8iLeHs/UsUAloZFOXI/AAAAAAACdF8/6qQkPLSqZbo/s640/IMG_6416.JPG&#8221; height=”480″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/PolarBearDip?authuser=0&amp;authkey=Gv1sRgCObBn4fm9fei6QE&amp;feat=embedwebsite”>Polar Bear Dip</a></td></tr></table>

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6ZuffkCVJ8FnaPYU5vo36NEAJXZdkKLe2njuguxH8bw?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-HbjRF6i3EIk/UsUAmG-kLkI/AAAAAAACdGE/dL0BBFLJTZo/s640/IMG_6417.JPG&#8221; height=”480″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/PolarBearDip?authuser=0&amp;authkey=Gv1sRgCObBn4fm9fei6QE&amp;feat=embedwebsite”>Polar Bear Dip</a></td></tr></table>

Cold, cold, cold:

<table style=”width:auto”><tr><td><a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-KFnu2DRSc7A0zGgsXECMtEAJXZdkKLe2njuguxH8bw?feat=embedwebsite”><img src=”https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9KFJqL_c4sE/UsUAnksYEdI/AAAAAAACdGg/_KWXjzrYU44/s640/IMG_6421.JPG&#8221; height=”480″ width=”640″ /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=”font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right”>From <a href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116032719585350311356/PolarBearDip?authuser=0&amp;authkey=Gv1sRgCObBn4fm9fei6QE&amp;feat=embedwebsite”>Polar Bear Dip</a></td></tr></table>

It then took a few hours to get warmed back again. But a breakfast of pancakes, soup and muffins and cups of tea helped. My head and liver still not in good shape though.

Was a very cool thing to do though on New Year’s Day. I’m glad I did it, even though my body didn’t really hold up to the challenge. Still, I went in and took the plunge.

Here’s to a swimmingly hopeful new year!