Taking the plunge - daily

While many people complain about sub-zero temperatures, a small group of women quietly wait for that zero-degree mark so they can jump in the water again.

The Sandyston Plunge Club takes a dip in the water daily and has for more than a year.

Lisa Hess and Amanda Marra decided to take a plunge Jan. 15, 2024, which was the coldest day of that year so far.

They have been doing it ever since.

“We were hooked,” Hess said, referring to their dedication, although they did take a few days off when temperatures plummeted below zero for several days this January.

Hess and Marra recruited others: Alison Reynolds and Matthew Studer of Sandyston as well as Barbara Cooper of Matamoras, Pa.

Hess said she posts on Facebook and Instagram to recruit club members.

Cooper is from Belgium, where cold-water plunging is more common, as it is in a number of European countries. But it is catching on in the United States.

Marra’s daughter, Abigail, 17, often comes with the group and now considers it part of her therapy after knee surgery.

“All types of people come,” she said.

One man comes after his yoga class but hasn’t told his wife, she noted.

They take the plunge, which generally entails walking into the water and staying in for three minutes, in various places.

A favorite is the Flatbrook stream in Stokes State Forest, often at Tillman Ravine in Walpack Township, near Walpack Center, an area with picturesque cascades.

“We hike to where the waterfall ends,” Hess said.

They also sometimes choose the Delaware River at Milford, Pa., or Bell Lake, a spring-fed pond in Stokes.

“Sandyston is very close to Sawkill Creek” in Milford, making that a good place to plunge, Hess pointed out.

They plunged in the Delaware River as part of a fundraiser for the Port Jervis (N.Y.) Fire Department. Another fire department fundraiser was held Saturday, Feb. 15 at Swayze Mill Lake in Hope.

The group is more than willing to use a chainsaw to get through the ice if necessary, Hess noted.

She said the group would like to use a lake closer to Sandyston if they can find one with parking nearby.

In warm weather, the plungers use a tub and ice, Hess said.

The times of day they plunge vary as do their reasons for plunging, she explained.

“We all get in the water for different reasons,” she said. “A lot of people do it for the challenge.

“Amanda does it after she has had a stressful day,” Hess added.

She maintains that it is good for her mental health.

“It takes care of stress and anxiety,” she said, noting that she takes no medication for anxiety or depression.

It is also good for physical health, she said, explaining that ice is good for inflammation. “A lot of athletes get into ice water after workouts.

“It’s a fun challenge,” she added. “It reminds us we can do hard things.”

Hess is not a winter person by nature, she said. “Normally, I’m always cold, but this is helpful.”

She explained that the cold water released dopamine. Hess doesn’t consider herself a swimmer or a fan of cold water.

She hopes she can recruit more people. The plungers carry a thermometer and a timer and wear neoprene booties and socks with a one-piece suit and wool hat.

The three minutes they stay in are generally used for talking and reconnecting with each other.

Sandyston is a great place for a group activity, Hess said. She moved there 11 years ago and loves the fact that it between the Delaware and Stokes.

Although she says she’s not “sporty,” Hess and all the other plungers hike.

Some people have joined the group one time and never come back, but others have learned to enjoy it, she said.