les Canards Givres

Following my long tradition of going swimming in weather that's altogether too cold (for example, click here), I couldn't pass up the chance to take a New Year's dip in the Atlantic Ocean with a group of individuals from La Baule, organized as part of this year's holiday activities. The water was a mere 5.5 degrees Centigrade, and the outside temperature just a tad over freezing. There were about 40 or so people who braved the frozen waters with myself. If my parents-in-law weren't already convinced of my insanity, they are now. Here are some pictures of this event.

The New Year's swim is sponsored by a group known as "Les Canards Givres"--literally "the Frosty Ducks".

Here's the "Before" picture--with Laure & Benedicte. You can see that many spectators turn out for the event, and in fact I even gave a brief interview with a local French radio station!

At 3:30pm there was a mad dash to the ocean.
Proof that I indeed participated. I lasted about 5 minutes only; the main issue for me was my toes getting so cold they started to hurt, then turn numb.
Claire was there with a towel to help dry me off upon my exit from the ocean--which was less traumatic than anticipated. My toes begin to regain feeling.
Here I am taking a victory lap through the downtown streets of La Baule.