The Earthwatch team enjoyed the festivities of Canada Day today in downtown Churchill (after sampling from 3 ponds). The Canada Day parade in this town of 813 was charming. Participants included the local tour companies, fire department, and even included a van from our very own Churchill Northern Studies Centre. The local youngsters are ready to go with bags to collect candy from the parade participants. After the parade, the team went back to CNSC to complete our data and prepare for our next adventure: The Polar Plunge!
The Manitoba Law Enforcement Torch Run for the Special Olympics hosted the polar plunge in Churchill. The event served as a fundraiser and crowd-pleaser. Members of the Earthwatch team and staff from the CNSC participated in this relay-style event.
The Polar Plunge runs as follows:
Teams of four line up (loosely) along the coast at approximately 30 yards from the waterline. At high tide (exactly) the race begins. First, the starter official fires a “quiet” guns (so as to scare any random local bears away) and seconds after, the official start gun is fired. And so the race begins. One by one, each team member runs to a rope approximately 30 yards from dry land. It should be noted that three safety boats, two paramedics, and a host of uniformed officials stand ready to assist at all times. These kind folks gently scooted away rogue sea ice that had entered the raceway.
Upon hearing the louder, chilling (literally), second shot, the first team member darts into the water. Before they know it, they are waist deep and soon armpit deep in freezing water- desperately looking to tag the rope that gives them permission to turn around and head back to warm and dry land. After all four team members complete this exercise, the team has officially finished and can run to the water’s edge to showcase their success.
So what exactly happens when human beings hurl themselves into water that is 4 degrees celsius? They experience the first stage of the mammalian dive reflex (bradycardia). More specifically, as soon as the face hits the water the heart rate slows down 10-25%. So this was the point where we each pretty much felt like we were having a heart attack. Sort of like a lightning bolt hit you. As unpleasant as that sounds, the purpose of the slowed heart rate is to reduce the need for bloodstream oxygen, leaving more to be used by other organs. Nonetheless, for each of us, it was a bit of a “holy cow” moment.
Soldering through that transition, we each pushed our way to the honor-system rope-touch turn-around point and negotiated our way back to shore. The question was, do I swim as long as I can with my face in the water, fighting this mammalian dive issue, or do I try to stand up and run it in as soon as my feet will touch ground. Undoubtedly a debatable crossroads. Swimming may be faster but colder. Conversely running it in may be slower but slightly less uncomfortable (and more in alignment with the human response to get out of the water ASAP). It is surprising how many thoughts you can have in so few seconds. In my short time in the water, I was able to take note of the 3 safety boats, the people around me, my team and all the spectators cheering from the shore, and weigh my run vs. swim options. Outside of that “bradycardia” moment, I didn’t think very much about the cold. That said, the warm of the shore never felt better!
~Wendy Marshall
climatechangeatthearcticsedge 