“How a UVic Student Inspired a Winter Swimming Revolution”

A New Year’s polar bear dip might just be the motivation you need to initiate your New Year’s resolutions, according to a UVic student who has convinced hundreds of his classmates to embrace cold-water swimming over the last year.

“The more you engage in these activities, the more your body will become receptive to new experiences. It’s like a gateway to thrilling new adventures and pushing your boundaries,” commented Pierre McGeough.

McGeough, a senior undergraduate studying business and psychology at the University of Victoria, mentioned he took a sabbatical year to explore and returned to academics “eager for new adventures.”

Thus, when someone invited him to go swimming in the sea last autumn, McGeough accepted the offer, even though he had limited prior experience.

He quickly became captivated by the cold-water phenomenon and currently serves as the co-president of the UVic Polar Dippers student organization, which gathers students in the ocean twice weekly during the semester.

To draw in more individuals, McGeough sometimes hosts party-like gatherings complete with DJs, glowsticks, and live performances, subsequently sharing the outcomes on social media.

McGeough estimates that at one of his club’s events, the Dip Fest, around 700 people convened in the waters of Cadboro Bay last April.

“It’s incredibly effective at attracting participants, sparking conversations,” he remarked about cold-water swimming. “When you’re icy cold, it’s quite challenging to engage in trivial discussions and erect a social barrier.”

“It certainly relaxes your body and places you in a different physiological state,” McGeough explained.

He noted that overcoming the initial anxiety of entering the frigid water can lead to personal growth and empowerment.

Cold-water swimming in Greater Victoria has gained popularity in increasing numbers since the pandemic. Many individuals opt for January 1 as the day to dive in.

While the UVic Polar Dippers are still on winter recess and will resume next week, there are numerous other groups throughout Vancouver Island seeking participants for a dip in the sea on New Year’s Day.

The Lido Club, an ocean cold water swimming organization based in Victoria, is organizing a polar bear dip that will begin at noon at Willows Beach.

In Sidney, the Peninsula Celebrations Society is reviving its polar bear swim at Glass Beach off Beacon Avenue from noon to 12:30 p.m.

At Otter Point, the local volunteer fire department is hosting a polar bear swim at Whiffin Spit Park. Registration opens at 11:30 a.m. with the swim commencing at noon.

In Port Alberni, the traditional Polar Bear Swim has been renamed the John Douglas Memorial Polar Bear Swim in honor of the late Port Alberni councillor who passed away this year. Registrations for the event at John Douglas Park at t̓iipis, formerly known as Canal Waterfront Park, start at noon, with the dash to the water kicking off at 1 p.m.

A 2020 study published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine identified health advantages related to mental well-being, blood pressure, and the immune and cardiovascular systems, but also warned that individuals unfamiliar or unaccustomed to the cold water face risks like shock, hypothermia, and even death.

Sea temperatures around Greater Victoria generally range from 6 to 8 °C in January, a decrease from an average of 11.2 °C in July.

The Capital Regional District does not perform water-quality assessments at recreational beaches during the winter months.

For anyone interested in checking bacterial levels before taking the plunge, more up-to-date water testing results can be found through the Surfrider Foundation.

The non-profit organization’s interactive map can be accessed at bwtf.surfrider.org/explore/41.

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