For nearly a year, Gery Lemon has made a point in her day to head down to the Esquimalt Harbour and take a plunge B次元官网网址� no matter how cold it is.

And while she sometimes still goes out alone, especially in the winter months, Lemon has attracted a sizeable following - even creating the View Royal Dippers Facebook group to help organize group dips, which are becoming popular around Greater Victoria and beyond.

B次元官网网址淚t kind of resets you,B次元官网网址� said Lemon. B次元官网网址淵ou are super focused, B次元官网网址楬

ere I am in the water, IB次元官网网址檓 very present in cold water, IB次元官网网址檓 nowhere else,B次元官网网址� and all other thoughts are kind of gone.B次元官网网址�

Lemon said she first started looking into the idea of cold water dipping after she caught a news interview several years ago where another dipper was extolling the virtues of the practice. That person said spending a few minutes a day in the cold ocean water had done wonders for their arthritic knees.

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As she looked into it more, she kept finding more people who were doing it around the region, and last year finally found someone willing to try it with her.

And, as they say, the rest is history.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 hard to get in every single time. The water is cold and it is bracing, and it would be so much easier to just stay warm, but I never, ever regret it.B次元官网网址�

Lemon said her personal trick to get past that initial resistance and to stay in the water on a particularly cold day is to come up with haiku in her head. When she dips with others, conversation heading into the water and once everyone is in has proven to be a big help.

She also said it is important to start slowly when you are just getting into it, and to recognize everyoneB次元官网网址檚 body is different, and their tolerance to cold varies.

In the winter, for example, she usually limits herself to five minutes of floating or treading water without getting her head wet. In the summer, she spends more time in the water and will swim around a little.

Some people may not be able to stay in that long in the cold months, while others may have no problem staying in longer.

Anyone interested in connecting with other dippers to try it out for the first time or to participate regularly are encouraged to join the View Royal Dippers Facebook group. But Lemon has a warning for anyone who wants to try: Once you try it, you wonB次元官网网址檛 want to stop.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 hooked. I donB次元官网网址檛 know why IB次元官网网址檓 hooked, but IB次元官网网址檓 hooked!B次元官网网址�

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justin.samanski-langille@goldstreamgazette.com
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