The internet sensation was using Guernsey’s waters for ice bath number 594 – marking 594 consecutive days of plunging himself into freezing waters to help his mental health.
Ice Bath Harry, aka Harry Beattie, started recording his daily ice baths, which he uses to tackle his battle with addiction, almost two years ago.
The 33-year-old from Portsmouth had spent 10 years in active addiction, using drugs, alcohol, gambling and other unhealthy obsessions to try to change the way he felt about himself.
More than 300,000 people have joined Harry on his journey on TikTok alone.
But before plunging into the bathing pool, Harry spent 10 minutes in an ice bath as the Guernsey chilly March seawater was not quite cold enough.
‘The sea is probably 9C but I need it down at 2C if I am going to get a real dopamine hit, I do it and I feel better for doing it,’ he said.
‘The dopamine that I’ve got from taking ice baths has just changed my life, and that’s kind of why I keep doing it now, to replenish the dopamine that I’m lacking due to prolonged drug abuse... and I hate running.
‘I was ready to try anything to get clean and I’d heard that ice baths gave off a dopamine hit, similar to what you’d get when you do stimulants such as cocaine and other drugs.
‘Cocaine, alcohol, gambling were massive for me. They ruined my life.’
Having never taken an ice bath, Harry reached out to a number of companies that made them, looking for a sponsor.
One company said yes but only if he made some social media content to promote it – and that was where Ice Bath Harry was born.
‘On 21 July 2024 I took my first ice bath, and I haven’t stopped since,’ he said.
About 20 of his followers joined him at the Ladies’ Pool to feel the benefits of some chilly sea swimming, and although it was a bit ‘warm’ for Harry, he said he was a great believer in its benefits for mental health.
‘I’m part of a men’s group called Men Who Plunge,’ he said. ‘We meet in Lee-on-Solent on the south coast every Sunday morning at 8am,’ he said.
‘It started off with five friends on the beach and now there’s like 50 blokes who turn up every weekend to get in and feel the benefit.’
His trip had been sponsored by Visit Guernsey to promote the island’s growing sea swimming following and after the swim Harry took in some contrast therapy at the Hot Haus sauna.
He aims to carry on for another 406 days until he hits day 1,000 and has some big plans along the way.
‘I’ve already launched my own ice bath brand, I’m launching a charity and we are planning a world record attempt towards the end of the year.
‘I can’t give too much away now, but we are in the process of arranging something which is going to be a world-first... and of course it involves an ice bath.’