About 30 bundled-up onlookers watched 12 of their neighbours strip down to bathing suits and go jump in the lake on New Year’s Day. Everyone gathered at the Burton Historical Park and trudged down the hill to the lakeside, which was a long way off, through heavy, deep mushy snow.
When the participants saw that it would be a mud-bath at best, and that the cozy warm, non-dunkers would most likely have to rescue them, a new plan was hatched. Everyone jumped back in their vehicles and headed for the “Cemetery Road.” After a long, snaking procession of cars and trucks made it to the lakeside, through about a kilometre of snow, the fun could begin.
The intrepid swimmers shed their warm clothes and ran, dove and tiptoed into what they later were told was four-degree water. Everyone went all the way in and quite a way out into the lake. They came out and were smiling and said “next year!”
One person came a bit late to the party and was going out by herself. Inga, already dressed and warming up, took off her warm clothes down to her wet bathing suit and dove in again...to keep her company.
Yep, folks, Burton is bubbling like a glass of Champagne. There are all kinds of activities and events going on these days, just down the lake.