15 July 2012 I'm On A Boat & Splish Splash - My Polar Bear Plunge

Journal

Everybody Look At Me, 'Cuz I'm Sailing On A Boat

Remember those super cool people from yesterday's journal entry - John Lenters and Brittany Potter. Well, they're back again! That's right, tag team back again!

John Lenters retrieves the buoy off Freshwater Lake. — John Lenters is a hydroclimatologist and an associate professor at University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Today my team joined team CALON on their boat to collect sensor data from their buoy in Freshwater Lake and to deploy an anchor with additional sensors. Kim took the helm as the driver, while Elliot helped with the anchor, and I took depth readings. Lakes are important to study because they provide heat and moisture to the region. CALON has already studied 23 lakes during the first phase of their study. Check out their website at https://sites.google.com/a/giesn.com/nsf-calon/

Kim and I enjoy the change of pace from our regular gas sampling routine. — Andy Samberg said it best - If you're on shore, then you're shore not me, oh!

John and Brittany utilize field research and remote sensing to understand the energy and water balance of Arctic Alaskan lakes. In these areas, climate and permafrost play a major role in lake formation and drainage.

Get Your Towels Ready, It's About To Go Down!

A Polar Bear Plunge, is when you intentionally (because you've really got to be crazy to do this intentionally) jump into the freezing ocean and completely submerge yourself and live to tell about it. I think the last part is key.

The is the before shot pre-Polar Bear Plunge. — You want me to jump into the ocean here? Remember, the freezing point of ocean water is a lot colder than ordinary water, that's - 2 degrees Celsius!

In some areas, like the Netherlands, Polar Bear Plunges are a New Year Day tradition. In Canada, there is a Polar Bear Swim Club with a membership of several thousand people. If you're interested, there is also a US version called the Polar Bear Club!