There is nothing more wondrous and more cleansing for the soul than the inky black and strange caress of 28 degrees Fahrenheit seawater.

Yes, I did the Polar Plunge again.

Jumping into McMurdo Sound last year was probably the highlight of my first winter season, though the night I spent stretched out in the snow watching auroras fill the entire sky was a close second. As I rambled on and on in a previous post on the experience, the Polar Plunge is a Midwinter tradition at Scott Base, our Kiwi neighbors just over the ridge. They drill a hole in the sea ice, erect a ladder, find a harness and give anyone crazy enough to try it the opportunity to jump into the coldest water on earth (the high salinity of the water around McMurdo allows it to stay liquid at 28F).

Last year my life-changing experience was marred by…