Polar Bear Dip

Childhood friends trade ice skates for swim trunks for charity

Thirteen degrees below zero. Twelve centimeters of ice. A sharp axe.

Koko McNeill in the water. Mario Terzoli

January 22, 2019, 10:08 pm ASTLast Updated: May 17, 2019, 3:59 pm

Three friends determined to find a fresh approach to the traditional polar bear dip chopped a swimming hole in frozen Paper Mill Lake last week — and then dove in.

It was day 17 of a 31-day fundraiser that involved a daily swim in Nova Scotia’s wintry waters. The trio had already tried the usual locations: Herring Cove, Black Rock Beach and the Dingle, but wanted something new.

Hippern, McNeill and Fraser skating on Paper Mill Lake. Mario Terzoli

Mitchell Hippern, Koko McNeill and Sid Fraser, who have known each other since childhood, kicked off their afternoon with a quick skate and game of hockey. Eventually, it was swimming time so they swapped their sticks for axes to cut into the lake.

Hippern and McNeill weigh options for where they’d like the hole to be. Mario Terzoli

Their goal is to raise $10,000 for the family therapy program offered by Phoenix Youth, a non-profit based in Halifax. The program — led by licensed therapists — offers counselling services to young people aged 11 to 24 with issues such as challenging family relationships, peer conflict and emotional difficulties. The service is free, and referrals are taken directly from the youth themselves or their families.

For Hippern and McNeill, raising money for Phoenix Youth is rooted in personal struggle.

Hippern before the swim at Paper Mill Lake. Mario Terzoli

Hippern has Tourette syndrome.

“I grew up with a lot of mental health issues and some I still deal with today,” says Hippern. “But I’m not a victim to them. They are a part of my journey and my struggle … I believe that we need to encourage people to grow and to shine, and to do that we need to encourage them to be honest about their mental health.”

McNeill is shown at Paper Mill Lake. Mario Terzoli

McNeill hopes the fundraiser will further mental health discussions.

“When I was younger, around 12 years old, I dealt with mental health challenges. I was lucky to get the right support and I was able to overcome a lot of pain,” says McNeill. “Since then, I’ve always wanted to help other people and this fundraiser is allowing me to do that.”

Fraser checks to make sure the ice will hold. Mario Terzoli

McNeill uses an axe to smash into the ice. Mario Terzoli

McNeill walking back after his swim. Mario Terzoli

Hippern prepares for the dip. Mario Terzoli

Fraser undresses for his swim. Mario Terzoli

Fraser strikes a pose in the water while McNeill films him. Mario Terzoli

Fraser is in good spirits after his swim. Mario Terzoli

For Fraser, the daily swims are improving his health and well-being.

“The dips completely elevate my mood … I have second thoughts, but I push past them and dig deep,” he says.. “It’s just temporary pain, but when it’s over the rest of my day is easier. I’m more present and I just feel great.”

The friends getting dressed after their swim. Mario Terzoli

After the dip was over they got changed and went back into their warm cars.

The fundraiser has made over $6,500 so far. Funds are being raised primarily through an online fundraiser. The friends are also accepting in person cash donations on their daily dips. The fundraiser will end on Feb. 2, 2019.

Tips for staying safe in and on the ice

The Signal asked Halifax Regional Municipality Public Affairs Office to comment on the safety of axing through solid ice and diving in. This was the email response of Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency Services spokesperson Brendan Elliott:

“Being aware of your surroundings, and in particular ice thickness is extremely important when determining what is safe for skating, or any other activity on a frozen waterway. There are so many factors to take into consideration, before deciding if the ice is safe to be on.

How deep is the water? The deeper the water, the longer it can take to freeze. Also, salt water takes longer to freeze than fresh water. And are there logs, large rocks or docks in the water? They can absorb heat from the sun, and delay freezing.

It is very dangerous to enter the water when the surface is frozen. There is a risk of diving under or being moved by water currents and becoming disoriented underneath the ice sheet. This can result in drowning. Trained ice divers use lifelines for this reason.

Entering very cold water can in some cases trigger a medical emergency. Such emergencies can include laryngospasm, frostbite and hypothermia. Entering very cold water is a potentially dangerous activity.

Based on all these unique circumstances, it would be difficult to give a blanket statement about whether an activity is safe or unsafe.

The Red Cross has guidelines for determining what’s safe for being on the ice: 15 cm for individual walkers/skaters, 20 cm for groups playing hockey or recreational skating, and 25 cm for snowmobiles.”

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