New Year's Swim

We like to do things to break the monotony of long winter nights. So every New Year's Day the hardy locals go for a swim at Mill Bay.

80 jumped in this year. Only one had to be taken away by ambulance....and that was because of a fall on the ice, not because of hypothermia.



Water temperature is still a "warm" 41 degrees. That's only 10 - 15 degrees colder than our summer water temperature. Admittedly the air temperature was nearly 32 degrees and it was raining. I stayed home.

For comparison, it is a lot warmer than Anchorage's current 30 degree water. Blame that on the shallow water of Cook inlet being more susceptible to temperature changes than the deep waters around Kodiak. And lets give thanks to the Japanese for sending their warm currents up our way! Our water will only drop to about 32 by February and then start warming up.

Call me a wimp, but there'll be no more kayaking for me for a few months!