Annals of Adventure–Speaking of Cold…: This is the season of over-hyped 30-second “polar bear” dips. But if you really want to freeze your ass off while swimming, what better place than the Bering Strait between Alaska and Russia. Here is the story of Lynne Cox, who in 1987 swam the 2.7 miles of (almost) freezing ocean between the two countries. The water was 42 degrees F, dropping to 38 degrees. Here’s Cox’s description after she had been in the water for more than 2 hours: “My hands were purple-gray, like a cadaver’s. My shoulders were the color of blueberries, and my arms, legs, and trunk were splotchy white. They felt heavy, like meat taken out of a freezer. My face felt detached from my head.” Sounds like fun…..



Support Team: “Keep swimming, godammit, or we’ll poke you again….”

(Photo: Rich Roberts via LA Times)