While the Barrie fire department was training for ice rescues Saturday on Kempenfelt Bay near downtown Barrie, Nick Gorte was nearby enjoying the small area of open water he had all to himself.
“I’m just taking a bath,” he answered when asked.
“You just feel great after that, for your health and your immunity, and for your feeling. You feel more confident and happier with your life. Great benefits.”
The water temperature in the lake is about one degree Celsius. Gorte said it did not affect his heart rate, and he seemed surprised everyone doesn’t do it.
“I started doing it just this fall and as often as I can, about three or four times per week,” he said. “In the fall, the water was 14 degrees. It felt cold, but you have to start slowly, as the water temperature drops through the winter, and you just adjust along with it.”
Gorte said there are people who go out every morning and clear the new ice from the hole. There are others who join him, but he was on his own Saturday.
Gorte, who mentioned he was born in Siberia, said, “I swam in cold water when I was a child, but I never did it in the winter.
“I met someone here who had been doing it for 20 years, and I just became excited to try it.”
It may not be an activity for all, as health issues can arise for some by plopping themselves into freezing-cold water. Cardiac arrest is one of the problems that can arise when subjected to cold-shock exposure.
However, there may be benefits for some. The National Library of Medicine in the United States has suggested cold-water swimming could be a treatment for mental health issues such as depression. According to one study, swimmers experienced a rush of endorphins, which are the feel-good chemicals in the body.
Those who attempt this activity are advised to know your bodies’ limitations, not do it alone, and be aware of the risks of venturing on the ice at this time of year.
