If you were in Hancock over the weekend, you were able to attend a number of the Heikinpaiva events that took place culminating the annual Finnish event, celebrating the mid-point of winter here in the Keweenaw. One of the events that always draws a crowd, is the Polar Bear Dive. It was held in the Portage Canal on the Hancock waterfront and Aladino Mandoli was on hand to capture the brave folks as they jumped in the freezing water.

Dino followed this gentleman from beginning to end, as he's a cousin of Dino's wife, Connie and it was his first time taking the plunge. I'd say by the look on his face when he came up out of the water, it was pretty cold and took his breath away. I wonder if he'll do a repeat performance next year?

If you'd like to see more of the photos Dino snapped, you can do so on his webpage. The pictures are available for a FREE download by clicking on the download icon on each photo. Dino asks that you please share this info, so those who participated can have a digital reminder of just what happens to your sanity when winter never - ever - ends…and he added, "Thanks for some awesome memories!!"

Click here to view the rest of the Polar Bear Dive photos: www.asurimaging.com

Gotta give them credit for being brave but count me out!

Gives me the shivers just looking at the pics; oh to be young again. When I was a teen we used to run out of the sauna door and tumble into a snowdrift outside and of course right back into the sauna, I know what that felt like and can't imagine doing it in water.

As George Costanzia would say, "shrinkage, it was shrinkage!"

Too funny! I'm shrinking just watching this.

The smart ones are the guys in the black rubber suites and I am not too sure about them. At least they have a rope around them to pull them out when they become a rubber coated popsicle.
I too have done the snow bank thing from the sauna. Maybe in my third childhood I would give this a try, but I am still in my second.

As we would say back in Florida, DAY-UM! Those are great photos Dino. I probably would have done that too back in my 20's but not anymore. I'll be satisfied with just looking at the pictures.

Under no circumstances. Never, ever. I have rolled gingerly and
quickly in the snow after a sauna, but that's it. Love all of the
animal pictures in the review.

One thing I noticed is that almost everyone is
fairly young. I saw just two guys that were most
likely over 50 with one probably over 60.

Is that evidence of wisdom or the lack thereof?

Did it once a looooong time ago, and that was all for me! Hey, at least I can say I've done it (and lived to tell about it...).

Did any of those participants take a sauna
first?

All the saunas I have been to in Finland hotels
had the nearby swimming pool filled with ice
cold water. The last time I partook was when I
was 45. Seventeen years later and I think I'll
pass next time.

Engineering the cold lake dipping is taken to
high levels in Finland.

https://youtu.be/vaOgaQ_iaqE

Good job to all the Polar Bear Dive
participants.

This link should be clickable:

http://youtu.b
e/vaOgaQ_iaqE