I took the plunge!

  • Published
  • By Amanda Reed
  • Team Captain, Barracudas Swim Team
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  While most people slept in from their New Year's Eve festivities or watched the New Year's Day parade on TV, my family and I, along with a few friends did something a little different: we braved the icy waters of the Little Ouse River in Santon Downham, Suffolk, as part of our swim team's annual New Year's Day Plunge!

That's right, I and 24 of my closest friends decided to take a dip in the Ouse. Yes, it was frosty, a mere -3 degrees Celsius (27 degrees Fahrenheit), with a bit of snow dusting the frozen ground! Refreshing, to say the least!

You are probably wondering two things, why would we do that and are we crazy? Well, we swimmers are all a bit crazy, but more importantly, it's a tradition. Every year, my family takes the plunge on New Year's Day. If you don't go in the water, you have to deal with the hazing for the rest of the year.

Last year, the Barracudas' head coach and my dad, Dean Reed, expanded our tradition to include the swim team. He added the 'plunge event' to the team's calendar for New Year's Day. Three families showed on Jan. 1, 2009. Those of us who braved the cold and took the plunge had great fun splashing about in the river as our limbs went numb. We also enjoyed lots of hot chocolate at the Red Lion Pub in Hockwold afterwards.

This New Year's, I expected one more family to join us for the 2010 Ouse Plunge. Much to my surprise, seven more families turned out! Twenty-four Barracudas including coaches, swimmers, and parents stood on the frozen riverbank and stripped down to bathing suits. Coach Reed, Coach Tom Moxley, and Charles Midthun, the father of two of my fellow swim team members, led the charge. Then high school, middle school, and elementary school swimmers all took the full-body plunge...one after another amid shrieks of excitement and pain due to the icy water temperature. Within fifteen minutes, all swimmers had dunked and emerged from the icy waters, purple-skinned, wide-eyed, yet satisfied that they had braved the plunge. There stood 24 frozen bodies, posing for photos, unable to feel arms and legs, but feeling the tingling numb satisfaction of "yes, we did it!" The 2010 Ouse Plunge had been a smashing success.

So there you have it, that's how I spent my New Year's Day. If you are reading this and thinking, "that sounds like fun, I want to try that", then consider joining our swim team. The Barracudas are part of the European Forces Swim League and compete against teams from across Europe. New members are always welcome. Swimmers elementary through high-school age from RAFs Lakenheath and Mildenhall are eligible to join. The team also welcomes volunteer coaches. For more information, contact the team at laken.barracudas@yahoo.com or visit www.barracudas.moonfruit.com.

We offer great opportunities for exercise and travel. This year, we've toured Europe pool-by-pool, from Berlin and Sigonella to Naples and Brussels. In addition to the travel, I love the feeling of family that I share with our swim team. We are a close-knit team and always have a great time hanging out. The Barracudas Swim Team is a memorable and fun experience not only for swimmers, but also their families. Our last home meet this season will be Jan. 9 at 5:45 p.m. at the Bury St. Edmunds Leisure Centre - we would love to see you there!