When Hookers Hang Around Swimmers, It Is A Good Thing
Phil White is a visionary. He saw the future of winter swimming in his home state of Vermont and created the Memphremagog Winter Swimming Festival . For nine consecutive years, White has attracted hundreds of swimmers to the middle of the frozen Lake Memphremagog in Vermont. Similar to his catchy vernacular for his summer lake events (e.g., yacker ), White has originated the term hooker for his safety personnel at his winter swimming extravaganza. As Don Houghton Jr. demonstrates above along the edge of the 25m pool at the 2023 Memphremagog Winter Swimming Festival (photo courtesy of Kathleene Marcil ), a safety hooker walks along the edge of the winter swimming pool with the primary responsibility to rescue a swimmer in trouble by attaching a safety harness apparatus around their body. The harness - or hook - pulls the troubled swimmer out of cold water. White and Houghton were part of the seriously-minded, totally dedicated local support crew who gathered to welcome ...