Water was warmer than air for OOB New Year's dippers
By Gillian Graham
Staff Writer
Nicolle Allaire looked anxiously at the waves crashing onto Old Orchard Beach minutes before she ran into the 38-degree water.
“I’m going to get carried out to sea,” the Old Orchard Beach resident said with a nervous laugh.
Allaire was one of 325 dippers who braved freezing temperatures on New Year’s Day to raise money for Special Olympics Maine at the 22nd annual Lobster Dip. The event raised more than $71,000 for the organization.
Allaire, a first time dipper, was part of the international team “Ducking Freezing.” She was joined by fellow Old Orchard Beach resident Whitney “Duckman” Hatch, Jason Pooler of North Waterboro and Nick Abbott, Jon Bowtell, Cade Bowtell and Megan Higgins, all of England.
The team raised $2,618, including about $300 collected by 10-year-old Megan at school. Team members promised sponsors they would quadruple dip. Traditionally dippers run into the water once or twice.
Each team Ducking Freezing member carried a rubber duck into the water, a tradition Duckman started. He said he has participated in eight Lobster Dips, but is known to also take plunges into the Atlantic on Thanksgiving and Christmas
The Lobster Dip was nothing new for Pat and Sharon McLeod of Cairo, Egypt. The couple, originally from Portland, come home to visit family for Christmas and never miss a chance to help Special Olympics.
“Special Olympics is a wonderful charity,” Pat McLeod said as he waited for the rest of his family to arrive at The Brunswick to watch the event.
For the first time, three generations of the McLeod family took a dip. The couple’s 10-year-old grandsons, Jordan and Nate McCraw of Windham, were finally old enough to join their grandparents. Other family members have dipped 10 times each in the past 11 years.
Pat McLeod said he and his wife collect pledges from friends in Egypt, then host a Lobster Dip party to show photos of the event.
Alan Reed, a South Portland native now living in Gorham, carried a large American flag as he walked the beach before heading into the water. Recently retired from the Army, he said he decided to participate to raise money for Special Olympics while honoring soldiers serving overseas.
“I brought this flag along for recognition of troops around the world who are doing the best they can in trying circumstances,” he said.
For Janet Healey of Waterford and Norma Boulet of Greene, traveling to Old Orchard Beach was an easy decision. Boulet said she decided to dip in memory of friend and former bicycle team captain Bob Dodge, who died three years ago. He had participated in the Lobster Dip.
“I said if he can do it, I can do it,” she said.
Boulet, sporting a lobster claw hat, laughed with Boulet as they tried to stay warm minutes before the dip. Healey wore a pair of oversized “2010” sunglasses and a party dress for her trip into the water.
“It’s for a good cause and it was sort of a dare,” Healey said of deciding to dip. “I’m a little tentative, but I’m going to do it because I said I would do it. I’m going in (the water) in a New Year’s dress because I wanted to look nice.”
Nearby, Max Slabotzky of Portland stood alone near the water. The 78-year-old Portland man said he was the oldest dipper and was taking part for the fifth time. Wearing only a pair of swim trunks, he said the 33-degree air temperature was “not bad.”
With 10 minutes until dip time and snowflakes swirling, team Ducking Freezing gathered by the water to warm up with a “team growl.”
“When you go into the water and come out you’ll feel warm for about 15 minutes,” Duckman told his team members.
As the announcer called dippers to the edge of the water, Jon and Cade Botwell hugged each other for warmth. A minute later, they ran into the ocean, hitting the water as waves crashed over a cluster of dippers.
A minute after that, Allaire rushed out of the water, clutching a rubber duck to her chest and shivering.
“It felt good and cold. I swallowed a gallon of water,” she said.
So will she do it again next year?
“Absolutely.”
Staff Writer Gillian Graham can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 213.
Staff Writer
Nicolle Allaire looked anxiously at the waves crashing onto Old Orchard Beach minutes before she ran into the 38-degree water.
“I’m going to get carried out to sea,” the Old Orchard Beach resident said with a nervous laugh.
Allaire was one of 325 dippers who braved freezing temperatures on New Year’s Day to raise money for Special Olympics Maine at the 22nd annual Lobster Dip. The event raised more than $71,000 for the organization.
Allaire, a first time dipper, was part of the international team “Ducking Freezing.” She was joined by fellow Old Orchard Beach resident Whitney “Duckman” Hatch, Jason Pooler of North Waterboro and Nick Abbott, Jon Bowtell, Cade Bowtell and Megan Higgins, all of England.
The team raised $2,618, including about $300 collected by 10-year-old Megan at school. Team members promised sponsors they would quadruple dip. Traditionally dippers run into the water once or twice.
Each team Ducking Freezing member carried a rubber duck into the water, a tradition Duckman started. He said he has participated in eight Lobster Dips, but is known to also take plunges into the Atlantic on Thanksgiving and Christmas
The Lobster Dip was nothing new for Pat and Sharon McLeod of Cairo, Egypt. The couple, originally from Portland, come home to visit family for Christmas and never miss a chance to help Special Olympics.
“Special Olympics is a wonderful charity,” Pat McLeod said as he waited for the rest of his family to arrive at The Brunswick to watch the event.
For the first time, three generations of the McLeod family took a dip. The couple’s 10-year-old grandsons, Jordan and Nate McCraw of Windham, were finally old enough to join their grandparents. Other family members have dipped 10 times each in the past 11 years.
Pat McLeod said he and his wife collect pledges from friends in Egypt, then host a Lobster Dip party to show photos of the event.
Alan Reed, a South Portland native now living in Gorham, carried a large American flag as he walked the beach before heading into the water. Recently retired from the Army, he said he decided to participate to raise money for Special Olympics while honoring soldiers serving overseas.
“I brought this flag along for recognition of troops around the world who are doing the best they can in trying circumstances,” he said.
For Janet Healey of Waterford and Norma Boulet of Greene, traveling to Old Orchard Beach was an easy decision. Boulet said she decided to dip in memory of friend and former bicycle team captain Bob Dodge, who died three years ago. He had participated in the Lobster Dip.
“I said if he can do it, I can do it,” she said.
Boulet, sporting a lobster claw hat, laughed with Boulet as they tried to stay warm minutes before the dip. Healey wore a pair of oversized “2010” sunglasses and a party dress for her trip into the water.
“It’s for a good cause and it was sort of a dare,” Healey said of deciding to dip. “I’m a little tentative, but I’m going to do it because I said I would do it. I’m going in (the water) in a New Year’s dress because I wanted to look nice.”
Nearby, Max Slabotzky of Portland stood alone near the water. The 78-year-old Portland man said he was the oldest dipper and was taking part for the fifth time. Wearing only a pair of swim trunks, he said the 33-degree air temperature was “not bad.”
With 10 minutes until dip time and snowflakes swirling, team Ducking Freezing gathered by the water to warm up with a “team growl.”
“When you go into the water and come out you’ll feel warm for about 15 minutes,” Duckman told his team members.
As the announcer called dippers to the edge of the water, Jon and Cade Botwell hugged each other for warmth. A minute later, they ran into the ocean, hitting the water as waves crashed over a cluster of dippers.
A minute after that, Allaire rushed out of the water, clutching a rubber duck to her chest and shivering.
“It felt good and cold. I swallowed a gallon of water,” she said.
So will she do it again next year?
“Absolutely.”
Staff Writer Gillian Graham can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 213.
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