For my first cold plunge, I chose to bring my best friend, Sunny (not her real name), to help record the plunge and supervise in case things went awry. We drove out to Wrightsville Beach on Sunday afternoon in January. I was pleased the sun was out, but I felt like I was cheating a little since it was 50 degrees out. The water will still be cold, I told myself.
COLD PLUNGE #1: north carolina
Sunny, who has scuba-dived, had an extra wet suit. We’re roughly the same size, so it fits me perfectly. I got dressed at the beach parking lot with Sunny providing cover. Then, we headed out to the water. After a quick sip of my hot latte from Sundays, I sprinted into the ocean. As soon as I hit the water, my body collapsed. I felt mentally strong, stimulated, and completely at peace. Calm. It was an intoxicating feeling. My body, however, weakened immediately. I dipped my head under, savoring every moment, then got out.
As I walked back to Sunny, my body shook. I didn’t feel cold, but my body was reacting to the cold. I felt like I had no strength whatsoever and moved slowly, even after I had toweled off and put on warm clothes. When we got back to Sunny’s, I took a hot shower. I still feel weak now, typing this from under the covers.
It’s an incredible experience, despite how I feel. I’ll experiment with cold showers to help me acclimate to cold water. Hopefully, the next time, I can stay in a bit longer.
I also realized after I did the cold plunge that today is my aunt’s birthday (Happy Birthday in the great after, Aunt Linda! I love you and miss you always.)