Cold dippers dive in for chill experience in Lake Simcoe (8 photos)

Fourteen people hiked through deep snow before stripping down to bathing suits and going for a polar dip in Lake Simcoe at at Hawkestone Beach on Jan. 4.

Are they brave or are they crazy?

That’s debatable, but cold dippers will likely tell you it’s for the challenge and their health.

“There is lots of health benefits to cold dipping that I like,” said Holly Talaska, 31, who grew up in Hawkestone.

“I have been doing cold dips in Lake Simcoe for seven-plus years.”

In November, Talaska started a 10 a.m. Saturday cold dipping group, Simcoe Swim, advertising it through an Instagram page.

“I thought I should start a community cold dip and see who shows up. I just wanted to invite anybody who wanted to come dipping,” she said.

Initially, she only recruited her sister, Danielle Talaska, and her best friend. By the second week, word was starting to spread and she had 10 dippers.

On New Year’s Day, there were 25.

On Jan. 4, Holly shovelled a path of snow to the waterfront and then Danielle took a shovel out into the water to clear a path through floating ice.

Danielle, who is four months pregnant, said the first time she begrudgingly went in the cold water with her sister, he lasted 30 seconds. Now she can crouch in the shallow water for several minutes.

“I definitely started to support Holly. She’s been telling me for years about the health benefits — the circulation, the grounding, the community, the shock to your immune system, the benefit to your whole body,” Danielle said.

Amanda Frankum, of Hawkestone, is an experienced cold dipper.

“I do it for the rejuvenating feeling afterwards. The getting-in process is hard, but your body feels amazing afterwards,” she said.

Bride-to-be Sarah Lewis, of Guelph, brought her wedding party to the cold dip.

“We are getting married in February in Mexico, so this is the opposite,” she said with a laugh. 

Oro-Medonte resident Mark Oatway took part for his fifth time.

“I love the physical recharge. I feel great the whole day after sitting in cold water,” he said. “I love the challenge. I try to stay in longer each week.”

Yoga instructor Trish Bolivar leads the group through deep-breathing exercises before the dip to put people into a calm state of mind.

“It’s important to stay calm. It helps your body adjust to the temperature. If you can stay calm, you can stay in longer,” Bolivar said. 

According to Healthline, an American online health newsletter backed by doctors, the benefits of cold dipping include boosting blood flow, improved cardiovascular health, improved metabolism, reduced swelling, and improvements to the immune system.

Healthline also states the risks of cold plunges: cardiovascular stress, hypothermia, hyperventilation, muscle cramps, or shock and drowning.

For Holly, it’s a challenge, it’s social and it’s a way to enjoy Lake Simcoe year-round.

“If you go in, you’ve accomplished something. It’s an amazing thing to get into the cold water,” she said.

Everyone enjoys coffee together after the dip and chats about their lives.

“I love Lake Simcoe. I thought if I get used to it in the winter, then when it comes to April and May — when the water is still cold and everyone else isn’t ready to go in — I’m like, ‘This is amazing,’” she said.