The first day of snow this past fall in Burlington, Vt., was Oct. 22. It was also the first day we had to de-ice the boats before practice and the first day I was reminded why sailing in Vermont has always been a little insane. The University of Vermont fall sailing season can be broken up into two parts. In the early fall we relish picturesque Lake Champlain and a steady 10 to 15 knots out of the northeast as we cling to the remnants of our summer tans. Everyone who attends school in Burlington has their own way of dealing with the cold.
Many people just spend more time indoors.
The sailing team, forced to forego this option until the season ends in mid-November, has its own tricks. As the self-proclaimed wimp of the team, I have the most tricks. I put on my drysuit after the first frost and break out my ear muffs after the first snow. When the temperature really drops, I don my wardrobe of synthetic clothing. But my favorite little trick for warding off the cold is the Duck Dance.