The air was still and all was quiet on the glassy surface of the Susquehanna River early Friday, soon after daylight.

Then Andy Lacock yelled "Yeehaw!" as his son climbed out of a rapidly accelerating boat and his bare feet hit the water.

Barefoot water-skiing, on a boom attached to the side of his boat, is the way Andy Lacock has started each of the last six years.

"It's an awesome adrenaline rush to start the new year," said the 43-year-old, who owns a paving and excavating company in Willow Street.

"Doing the polar bear — jumping in and out of the water — I'm sure that's a rush, but it's nothing like going 40 mph," said Lacock's friend, Ben Waltimyer, referring to the Jan. 1 swims held around the country.

Barefoot water-skiing requires a speed of 38 mph to 40 mph, almost twice the speed needed when using conventional water skis.

Friday, with an air temperature of about 33 degrees and a steady wind generated by the moving boat, it felt closer to 15 degrees. Add to that the water temperature of about 35 degrees on the Lake Aldred section of the river, near Pequea, and the result was that the skiers' feet went numb almost instantly in the water.

Jeff Lacock, 21, who has been water-skiing with his dad since he was a toddler, said his whole body quickly became numb.

He said he doesn't like the restrictive feeling of a protective dry suit. The first one in the water, he climbed out on the boom wearing swim trunks under the same short-sleeve, short-legged wet suit that he wears during summer months.

His run in the water lasted about three minutes, during which he fell and regained his footing.

One of the hardest parts was when the cold-water spray hit his face and took his breath away, he said.

He had to will himself to breathe and to use his hands and the rest of his body.

"I just told myself, I've got to do this. I've got to get back into the boat," he said afterward.

At that water temperature, according to United States Power Squadrons, a boating safety organization, if Lacock had not gotten back into the boat, he would have lost consciousness in about 15 minutes and died in another 15 minutes.

Instead, he was quickly retrieved by his father and Waltimyer and wrapped in towels. He sprayed himself with hot water that had been circulated through the boat's engine.

"I can't feel anything below my knees," he said several minutes later, goose bumps rising on his skin.

Andy Lacock and Waltimyer both wore dry suits over their clothing. The suits have tight rubber seals at the wrists, ankles and neck to keep out the cold river water.

When each of the men had completed their runs, they held their hands and feet out of the water until the boat circled back to retrieve them.

"I just can't get enough of this stuff; that's the problem," said Waltimyer , 31, as he watched steam rise from his bare wet feet into the morning air.

Friday was Waltimyer's second New Year's Day spent barefoot skiing with Lacock.

A year ago, it was colder, Waltimyer recalled. The water temperature was about the same, but ice hung from the boat, boom, rope and anything else that got wet.

"This is a great way to start the new year. Nobody got hurt. Nobody got frostbite. Our toes are all still wiggling. It's a rush," Waltimyer said.

Jeff Lacock said friends had urged him to come to New Year's Eve parties. Instead, he was in bed by 9 p.m.

"This is our party," his father said.

bharris@lnpnews.com