Jacksonport Polar
Bear Club
New Year's Day 2000
By Steve Kastner
January 1, 2000 |
| JACKSONPORT, WI - "Nine
minutes to swim time..." Joe Jarosh's words echo as we hurry to get
through the crowd and down to the beach! |
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I lug a bag full of gear, extra footwear, sleeping bags, towels and try to lead my
troupe through a maze of people. Accompanying me, for some bizarre reason, is my 7 year old daughter, Isabel, who
has been promoting this "family swim" event since she first saw the sign, months ago, on the roadside
in Jacksonport.
Rowan Kastner, age 9, also agrees that he wants to give it a try, and has a swimming suit on under his jeans and
parka. The three of us finally get down to the water's edge and one of my multiple identities takes control. I
decide this will be strictly business. I will "cover" the event, shooting photos for this report and
be a responsible parent. |
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"Keep your coats on kids. Here's some thick blankets and a great spot
to watch from." |
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| "Five Minutes to swim time. Today's
air temperature is 33 degrees, and the water temperature is also 33 degrees,"
Joe announces to several hundred swimmers and hundreds more revelers. |
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"One minute to swim time!" Joe booms out.
The Jacksonport Polar Bear's production of "Beauty and the Beasts" is about to commence.
NEXT...
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MPEG
Movies of the Pre-splash Moments
Click to see and hear the action on-line!
Movie #1
(486 K) | Movie
#2 (485 K)
These might take a few moments to completely dpwnload...
and, there are two more on the next page.
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Download Windows Media Player
and experience the breakthrough technology that delivers CD-quality audio at half the size of competing formats,
download speeds twice as fast as MP3, near-broadcast quality video over broadband, and FM-stereo music over a 28.8
modem.
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1 | 2 | 3
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