Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Fire and Ice

New Year's Day was beautiful. Sunny and lovely.

A perfect day for the beach.

Watch Hill, Rhode Island. Our favorite. The Atlantic Ocean, just a half-hour from New London.

We're usually there in summertime, though, in bathing suits and shorts.

Wait a minute . . .

Yes, that's right. Firefighters Dave and Dan, and Mistah Schleckah and Dibs, and Lynn and Elissa, and Tommy and Kyle and Andrea -- 21 brave souls in all -- got themselves prepared for a New Year's dip in the Atlantic . . .

. . . even though there was snow on the beach.

Mistah and FF Dave stripped down . . . (that's the re-building of the Ocean House hotel going up, behind them)

. . . and Mistah tried to get himself warmed up.

(That's Billy with exuberant arms up; Beth donated some of these photos.)

When you can't see the snow, it just looks like a Day at the Beach, like we're in San Diego or something. But that day at Watch Hill, Rhode Island, weather.com reports the high temp was 22º, low was , and at 1 p.m., it was 19º, with a 10 mph WNW wind making it feel like 7º.
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Yeeeeoooooaahhhhh!

In they go!

That's Mistah Schleckah's butt -- diving right into the water, like it's the middle of summer . . .

. . . and there he is fully submerged.

Everyone else is running ashore. But look! Bill's riding a wave in!

Dude! This is not August!

Now he's starting to realize it's really really cold in there . . .
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. . . and he can't get out quickly enough.

Get. Me. Out. Of. Here.
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Oh look, there's one other crazy guy still in the water . . .

Oh dear.

Mistah's tootsie-toes felt like they were going to break off. I gave him a desultory massage . . .

Are you okay, Mistah?

Bill with Dibs, our fearless leader.

I'm not exactly sure what was going on under that towel . . .

Thankfully, firefighters Dave and Dan had their wits about them, and saw how great my thirst was. I had a hole in my glove! I was cold!

A Portrait of Sanity: Dawn, Elizabeth and Ellie, partners of their Mad Swimming Men.

After the exhilarating, insane, crazy swim, we trudged back out through the snow again . . . .

. . . and went back to the fabulous Dibs house, where the swimmers got right into the hot tub..

I, on the other hand, while squatting down to take a photo, got snow down my jeans.

Two hours in the hot tub will entirely warm you up.

Meanwhile, the pyromaniacs firefighters started a blaze outside, and concurrently deep-fried a turkey.

Dibs has got a sweet, sweet house in the woods, on a creek . . .

. . . and he and Beth had a rockin' party inside, where the warm people mingled . . .

. . . and ate great food . . .
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. . . while the insane sea-bathing pyromaniacal madmen threw turkey grease on the fire, greeting the New Year with snow, water, ice, wind, and fire. And booze.

2009 is shaping up to be one hell of a year.

15 comments:

Nancy said...

That looks like an awesome way to celebrate with friends!

Mistah?
I have just one word to say about your bravery: shrinkage

Pickles and Dimes said...

You guys have a fun group of friends! And that Mistah is one brave soul.

And I would LOVE to have a hot tub outside here. That would be sweet.

NucMEd is Hot said...

I hear about people doing this kind of thing and while I have great respect for them, I couldn't ever do it.

The turkey story reminds of the ATT commercial where the guy is talking about blowing up the frozen turkey while trying to deep fry it. It makes me giggle.

Have I mentioned how much I love your pictures?

Me, You, or Ellie said...

Well, thank you, NucMEd. And for once, Mistah had nothing to do with them. Well, except for the last 5. And Beth took a few too. Sigh. Well, thanks on behalf of them.

And, Nancy, shrinkage was a, well, a *huge* topic that day...

Ellie

Me, You, or Ellie said...

It takes a special kind of crazy to be a Schlekah. Hope everything has thawed back to its original size!

Jacquie

Me, You, or Ellie said...

You East Coasters sure know how to party! And this post just confirms that you're the sane one, Ellie :-)

Beth

Captain Dumbass said...

I'd skip the whole jumping in the ocean and jump straight in the hot tub.

Zip n Tizzy said...

Wooh-wee, and Brrr...

One of my favorite New Years was spent at Block Island RI.
Very different than the summer, and cold indeed.
(and yes this was just the metaphor I was viualising when I wrote my post.)
Fun!
Happy New Year!

Kathy Rogers said...

You people know how to celebrate.

Except for that polar bear swim thing. WTF? Mental...

Kat said...

You guys are maniacs! That made me cold just looking at it. I hope nobody got a post dip cold!

foolery said...

I went swimming at night after Labor Day this year.

I did get goosebumps.

Anonymous said...

Is your life for sale? 'Cuz I know someone who sold theirs on e-Bay or something, so I was just thinking if you ever decide to sell up maybe I could have first dibs...just because I asked first?? And is that a house in that first photo over centre left? Because..holy crap if it is

Lola said...

I LOVE Watch Hill! Too bad you didn't go for the dip, chicken!

I've never done it, but I might if I was with a group of my friends, especially if there was a hot tub to jump into.

Anonymous said...

Must have the booze to keep you warm. A must have for sure.

Nice celebration!

The Stiletto Mom said...

You guys are NUTS!!! But then again, that totally looks like something my crew would do! So fun!