The New Year’s Dive in De Koog on Texel attracted almost 1000 participants this year. Among them is 39-year-old Felicia Siebert from Texel, who suffers from the rare disease gastroparesis. She has a paralyzed stomach muscle, which means she can no longer keep solid food down. She dived into the ice-cold North Sea especially for the Stomach Liver Intestine Foundation. She has been holding a campaign to raise money for a few weeks now. The counter now stands at almost 8,000 euros.
She stands with some pride at the start on the ice-cold beach in the Texel seaside resort. With a temperature of about eight degrees and a wind force of 7, it feels like you have to dive into an ice bath. Hundreds of Texel residents and tourists chatter with her for a few minutes before the starting shot is fired in the afternoon.
“I spent no less than three minutes in an ice bath, so this shouldn’t be a problem”
But she’s there. She also does this for the many people who have donated an amount to her campaign. “I feel I also owe this to everyone who supported me.” She has prepared well for the cold plunge. “I took ice bath training with Dries de Winter specifically for this,” she says. “He taught me a certain breathing technique that I will have to do before I go into the water. I suffered for no less than three minutes in the ice bath, so this shouldn’t be a problem.”
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She feels good an hour before the start. “I’m actually really looking forward to it,” she says. “I’m not dreading it at all. I also went to the masseuse yesterday and I’m completely relaxed now. I went to bed on time at New Year’s Eve, because I want to be at the start fresh and fruity.”
It is not without danger that she dives into the ice-cold water, because the Texel is completely dependent on a special type of food. She receives her nutrition through an IV from her arm to a large blood vessel near her heart. The food goes directly into her bloodstream. “I prepared well,” she says. “I consulted the doctors, but also sought advice from dietitians and home care. I’m sure everything will turn out fine.”
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The New Year’s Dive is her baptism by fire. “That’s why it’s exciting. I’m doing this together with the team from restaurant Het Pakhuus. It’s of course very nice to do this in a group. It feels very warm.”
The dive itself went very easily for her. While many run in and out of the water, she went completely under. “I’m very proud that I did it,” she says on the way back to the beach. “I had a nice pampering myself. I felt relaxed, it was okay.” A rain shower on the way back didn’t make it any easier. “Oh well, we can have that too.”
It was mainly the tension shortly before the start that made her still nervous. “When we walked towards the water, you felt that cold wind. Then I thought for a moment: Phew! When the organization also announced that the conditions were extreme, I had to swallow. That makes it a bit exciting.” It might leave you wanting more. “Yes, why not. I can cross this one off my list. This was really cool.”
The New Year’s Dive in De Koog on Texel – NH News