Those who work in the freezing weather of Antarctica are already members of a very exclusive club, but with an initiation stunt, they can join an even more exclusive club. The traditional "nudie run" takes a slightly different shape for different nationalities, according to Dr. Chris Cormick.
The nude pictured is an American. http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/06/24/154351_fun-weird-news.html -via Fark
He said Australians based at all three stations, Davis, Casey and Mawson, take part in the traditional "Bliz Run", which obliges the loser of any bet or dare to strip off and run a lap of the accommodation block.
"It's only about 100m, but even 10m would seem like a long run in the conditions," Dr Cormick said.
New Zealanders at their summer station go skinny dipping in Lake Vanda, with a plunge in the chilly water earning membership of the Royal Lake Vanda Swim Club.
The group is rumoured to include former NZ Prime Minister Helen Clark, who gained membership before she was elected.
Americans at the Amundsen-Scott base can regularly be seen emerging from the sauna to run a naked lap of the South Pole.
The deed earns membership of the 300 Club, but only if it's done when temperatures have plunged to below -100F.
"The idea is to run from the 200F sauna, outside, so they go through 300 degrees (F) in seconds," Dr Cormick said.
The nude pictured is an American. http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/06/24/154351_fun-weird-news.html -via Fark
I've done penguin plunges and polar bear swims in water that was just above freezing.
Obviously jumping in cold water is worse than jumping out into cold air but I wonder on what scale? I know jumping into 34 degree water literally takes your breath away. I can't imagine -100 air, after heating up in a 200F sauna can be that much worse.