Ocean Dips and why we love them

Let’s talk ocean dips. I’m officially hooked. But it wasn’t always this way—I didn’t just dive into cold water therapy with a grin on my face, ready to proclaim it life-changing. No, it’s been a journey.

Here’s the backstory. The last few years have thrown me a few health curveballs. The kind that mess with your body and your head. At one point, I found myself slipping into a pretty negative mindset. My usual go-tos for clearing my mind—running, adventuring, anything that gets the heart pumping—weren’t even an option. My body had other ideas, so I had to figure out something else.

Cue meditation and prayer. Honestly, these practices have always been my rock, keeping me grounded and teaching me how to let go. But I needed something physical. Something simple, something I could commit to without draining what little energy I had.

That’s when I stumbled across cold water therapy. I’d read about it, heard the hype, and thought, Why not? So, with one of my boys for moral support, I decided to give it a try.

I’m someone who always feels cold. My core body temp? Permanently low. So the idea of willingly plunging into icy water was, let’s just say, unappealing. But I stuck with it, and over time, something shifted. I started noticing little things—an unexpected burst of energy afterward, a clearer mind, and even a way to fend off an oncoming cold or flu.

Then a good friend of mine suggested we take things up a notch: commit to daily ocean dips for three months during the coldest, darkest part of winter. Yes, winter. When the sand is frozen, and your toes are numb before you even hit the water.

What followed was one of the most unexpectedly beautiful experiences of my life. It wasn’t just about the dips themselves (though the feeling of stepping out of the water like an unstoppable badass is hard to beat). It was about everything around it—the stingray we nearly stepped on, the ice skids while getting to the beach, the wild rain whipping our faces. And then there were the other hardy souls out there at the same time every day, rain or shine. We didn’t talk, but there was this unspoken bond, this shared acknowledgment of Yeah, we’re doing this crazy thing.

Every day was different. The ocean had a new mood, the sky a new palette. Some days I’d get home thinking, Wow, I really needed that, while other days I’d just feel proud of myself for showing up. It was a challenge, a ritual, a purpose.

And you know what? It worked.

Ocean dipping pulled me out of my head and into the moment. It helped me shift my perspective on whatever life was throwing at me and gave me a sense of accomplishment before most people even rolled out of bed.

These days, I don’t do it daily anymore, but I still make time for a weekly dip. And honestly? I miss the daily ritual. The benefits were too big to ignore—mentally, physically, emotionally. So I’m thinking of jumping back in full-time (literally).

If you’ve been curious about cold water therapy, here’s my advice: Do it. Start small, start slow, but just start. You might hate it at first (you probably will), but stick with it. You won’t regret it, I promise.

The ocean is waiting, and trust me—it’s got more to give than just goosebumps.

Rachel x