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1/2/10 From Milwaukee
JOURNAL SENTINEL
page 1
Cold suits 'em just fine
Fearless participants take the plunge in annual
polar bear rite
By Gina Barton
gbarton@journalsentinel.com
Shortly before noon on New Year's Day,
it's easy to distinguish the pro polar bears
on Bradford Bradford Beach from the amateurs.
John Rutkiewicz of Wauwatosa is one of
the pros. Dressed in warm, brown cover-
alls, heavy boots and a knit cap, he drinks
Jack Daniels beside a tent and a raging
bonfire - lighted atop a portable charcoal
grill.
This year marked Rutkiewicz's 15th Polar
Bear Plunge. All have been brag-about-
it fun, largely because a friend taught Rut-
kiewicz the rules for success long before
he first braved the frigid waters of lake
Michigan in January.
Rule No.1: Take care of your feet.
"They're the first things in the water
and the last things out," said Ruthiewicz, 45.
Keep your boots on until shortly before
the blunge. When you do go in, be sure to
wear shoes.The lake bottom can be pretty
rocky. As soon as you've conquered the
water, dry those feet, cover them in fresh
socks and don your boots ASAP.
The amateurs clearly haven't mastered
this rule. They stream from their cars
down Lincoln Memorial Drive in Crocs,
water shoes and flip-flops, their feet grow-
ing chilly before they step onto the snow-
covered sand.
Rule No. 2: Get dried off and dressed be-
fore you leave the beach.
"Disrobe completely and get into dry
cloths," Rutkiewicz said.
That's why he puts up a tent on the
shore, to maintain some modesty as he
strips off his wet bathing suit after the
plunge.
First-timers likely envy that tent as
they towel off in open, layering sweat-
ers and sweatpants over their sopping swimwear. They shiver as they trek back
to their cars, wrapped in damp blankets in
PLEASE SEE PLUNGE, 6A
From page 1
PLUNGE
the 19-degree' temperature
and icy wind.
Rule No. 3: Don't forget to
breathe while you're in the
water.
"It's so cold, your body
wants to stop," Rutkiewicz
said.
Paramedics are on stand-
by in case a newbie or two
forgets this rule. This year,
though, everyone emerged
from the waves alive and
without serious injury, ac-
cording to Lt. Michael Palm-
er of the Milwaukee Fire De-
partment.
Rule No. 4: Bring plenty of
friends.
Rutkiewicz's group in-
cludes between 10 and 15 peo-
ple every year. After the
plunge, they headfor Leff's
Lucky town, a tavern in
Wauwatosa, where they
watch football and relive the
Lake Michigan adventure
that was the start to their
new year.
"It's male bonding. It's
family bonding," said Rut-
kiewicz's friend Mike Lin-
scott, 45.
Even the virgin polar
bears have mastered this fi-
nal rule.
Jessica Alt, 19 a freshman
at the University of Wiscon-
sin-Oshkosh, showed up for
the first time this year with
half a dozen of her gal pals
from Franklin High School.
The group giggled and
hugged as they celebrated a
makeshift reunion on the
wintry beach.
"They all talked about how
much fun it was.' Alt said.
"So I figured I ought to ex-
rience it for myself.
"It's so cold, your body wants to stop (breathing)."
John Rutkiewicz, 15-time polar Bear Plunge participant
Surviving the Polar Bear Plunge - 4 simple rules
MICHAEL SEARS / MSEARS@JOURNALSENTINEL.COM
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