Go Together Life

Our next family challenge came on the very last day of our hiking journey across the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland. We’d walked nearly 100 kilometers over a few unforgettable days, through wind, mist, laughter, and some questionable footwear (cough,cough, Adam!). When we finally arrived, weary and wonderfully grimy, at our charming B&B in Cloghane, the only plan was to sit, stare at the sea, and do absolutely nothing.

Enter Daniel.

He strolled in, looked around at our blissfully sedentary group, and with the enthusiasm of someone not yet emotionally attached to their warm socks, declared Challenge #4: a quick swim in the Atlantic.

Now, to be fair, it was summer… but this was Irish summer. Cold. Windy. Slightly judgmental clouds. Still, like the dedicated (and mildly competitive) group we are, we rallied. Swapping hiking boots (or slides in Adam’s case) for swimsuits, we shuffled down to the beach, grumbling semi-audibly and questioning our life choices.

The beach, in fairness, was stunning: wide, empty, and stretching for 14 kilometers beneath the watchful eye of Mount Brandon. Earlier that day, some locals had regaled us with the bizarre story of a Luftwaffe plane crash on that very mountain back in 1940. The six surviving German crew members were sent to an Irish “internment camp”, which, in classic Irish fashion, included day passes to go to horse races, local dances, and even the German embassy. Side note: If you visit O’Connor’s Pub in Cloghane, the plane’s actual engine is proudly displayed outside like the world’s most unexpected beer garden ornament.

But back to the challenge.

Shivering and skeptical, we peeled off our warm layers, steeled our nerves, and prepared to enter the Atlantic. Daniel, true to form, sprinted in with wild-eyed joy while the rest of us tiptoed in behind, gasping and squealing as the icy water met skin.

This wasn’t our first polar plunge, but it still hit like a shockwave. And yet, it was exhilarating. The cold swept away our fatigue, replaced by the kind of buzzing energy only freezing salt water can deliver. By the time we trudged back to the B&B, soaked, frozen, and loudly reliving our heroics, our faces were glowing.

Even better? Everyone did it. Challenge #4 gets our first perfect participation score.

Challenge #4 Scorecard: Irish Polar Plunge Edition 🇮🇪🧊

Name	Result
Adam	✅ Bold & breathless
Ally	✅ Reluctant but ready
Daniel	✅ First in, no regrets
Jon	✅ Shivered through it
Madison	✅ Brave & brilliant
Mandy	✅ Chill, then thrilled
Patrick	✅ All in, all smiles
Quinn	✅  Rock star effort
Reese	✅ Cold but committed

Upon returning, the kids retreated to the main house for gloriously hot showers and dry clothes. The adults? Not so lucky. Assigned to the annex, they discovered, to their frozen horror, that the hot water was entirely nonexistent. And so began Jon’s latest chapter in his “Travel Shower Disasters” chronicles.

Luckily, we had warm clothes, wool socks, and a generous pour of red wine to soften the blow. Which, in hindsight, might be the true secret to surviving Irish swimming challenges.

Next up: Can our family survive another travel plunge without losing hot water privileges? Stay tuned.

P.S. Hat tip to our friends at Macs Adventures who had facilitated this trip for us.