Out They Go! Cape Charles, Virginia's "February Freeze" charity event for Habitat for Humanity
Last Saturday (February 12,2011) I decided that if I wasn’t brave enough to sport my bathing suit in 50 degree weather and go for a dip in 42 degree salty waters of the Chesapeake Bay, that the very least I could do was to support those who were brave enough. This was the 15th Annual “February Freeze”, a winter splash from the Cape Charles beach into the chilly waters of the Chesapeake Bay to benefit The Eastern Shore Branch of Habitat for Humanity. Cape Charles’ beachfront was buzzing with both participants and spectators, all laughing and chattering away, waiting for the start gun. Since it was low tide at the start time, I was able to stand out on a small sandbar, wrapped in a heavy jacket and armed with my camera and video Flip, and look back at the winter water warriors standing at the ready at water’s edge… waiting and freezing, freezing and waiting. Clearly, they don’t call it the “February Freeze” for nothing ! I just couldn’t even imagine myself standing in the wind, on the beach, in my bathing suit, much less actually getting wet. The official Dip was to take place at noon but I think the actual start time ended up being 12:10 pm. One might think a only ten minute delay was pretty punctual but not when you are properly dressed, in a bathing suit, for the Dip, but not for the actual weather, which that day included winds blowing at 15 knotts !
Victor Abrahamian wows the crowd watching from the beach with a full body swim at the 2011 Cape Charles "February Freeze"
From start to finish, the 2011 February Freeze took just about two minutes. Last to leave the water was Victor Abrahamian , no surprise, Victor having been a swim coach for 44 years . Victor was looking forward to really getting wet, and proceeded to wow the crowd by taking a shallow swim as he made his way back to the Cape Charles beach. All in all, about 44 brave souls participated, winter water warriors each and every one of them, raising over 4,700.00 dollars from this charity event for Habitat for Humanity. Eastern Shore Habitat for Humanity And each participant who raised over $ 35.00 was rewarded with a delicious and steaming hot lunch. What a great cause but what a crazy event ! Yet as I left the beach Saturday, I thought to myself, possibly, just maybe, next year. We’ll see. Maybe…