By Vanessa Lantos Daly (Spicy Melon)
Sept. 7, 2025 – There are very few things that truly intimidate me.
Sincerely, working in the service industry teaches you to go say hi and talk to anyone with an unfazed smile. It doesn’t matter how rich, famous, important, or extremely attractive you might be. We don’t care, we constantly move with a purpose.
However, sometimes, I get deeply scared.
Accepting this is the first step in becoming a superhero, right? How do you become extraordinary?
Here’s one way: Not letting fear and discomfort control your life. Bending your mind to serve you instead of you serving every little wimpy craving your mind throws at you. That is just too easy.
Having discipline and self-control is seldom the norm.
The Ice Tub Club really intimidates me.
I walked over to Perc coffee shop on a sunny Friday morning to meet Hannah Eyre and Peter Van Brussel to learn everything about the Ice Tub Club. They exude a warm and super friendly energy. Their smiles are fully relaxed, almost ethereal.
“Peter started the Ice Club in 2024, on New Year’s Day. He bought a tub and some ice, and put out a message on Instagram. The club is nearly 2 years old.”
Peter shares, “I put out a message that day to friends and whoever would show up. We had about 20 people that day, and then we just kept doing it every Sunday for the rest of the year. Hannah was there the first day.”
I am in awe. There are very few things I could think of as less appealing than stripping down to a bathing suit and getting into an ice tub in the midst of winter. Didn’t we even get some snow days this year? Obviously Peter, Hannah, and their friends are different kind of Savannahians.
I sheepishly listen on…
“We do 20 to 30 minutes of breathwork and yoga to center ourselves and to make it more mindful than just hopping into cold water. What started as a group of friends evolved into us thinking about how to make it more accessible and introduce other people to it, so we registered The Ice Tub Club as an LLC to be able to do events,” Peter shares. “Our first event was this year on New Year’s Day at Starland Yard so that others could come and experience the cold plunge. We had our friend Jose Ray as the DJ, and the following and group grew naturally that way. We have had people come to the events repeatedly and consistently. It is a great group to be around. A healthy and sober-friendly space.”
“Yeah, no drinking beer and getting in the ice tub.” Hannah laughs.
Peter continues, “Yes, it is usually an earlier morning activity. A different kind of activity. It counters the going out and drinking kind of thing.”
Hannah adds, “It is switching from night-life to a day-life crowd. Because there is so much more to do. Sometimes it feels like the only thing to do in Savannah is to go out and drink a lot of the time. This gives more opportunities to connect in mindful and genuine ways. The friends we have made through Ice Tub Club are better than anything else I’ve ever experienced.”
Peter works for Gulfstream full time and Hannah sells real estate, so this is a passion business. They do it for the love of it.
So I ask them, why should anyone consider doing a cold plunge? Are you the kind of person who takes cold showers in the morning? Is that uncomfortable? How about an ice bath?
Peter shares, “It is a way of starting your day off doing something difficult. Something you are not prepared for. And we coach on using your breath to push yourself through that. It is initially very intense, but if you use your breath and mindfulness you get through it. We will coach and say things like ‘You are ok.’ And typically that’s all you need to overcome that fight or flight response. Our group grew by word of mouth, friends would invite friends. You can enjoy the benefits by just plunging for two-and-a-half minutes: heightened energy, metabolism boosts, dopamine and endorphin release.”
Hannah adds, “A lot of times there are people who are really scared to do it. I have gone skydiving with people who will do that, but don’t want to get in the ice. People will do public speaking, but don’t want to get in the ice. A lot of people have this mental block where you don’t want to do it, you think it’s going to be awful. But once you do it and you get through the first minute of a cold plunge, it is very difficult but then you breathe through it, your mind folds and it becomes a lot easier. Once people recognize that they can do that hard thing and breathe through it, they get really excited about it and then they want to bring all their friends to try it too.”
Not everyone is the same. Peter shares, “Some friends who come to do the cold plunge, you can tell that they are more mentally calm. They don’t get triggered as easily by how they respond to things. They understand that nothing is as intense as that moment so they can carry that into everyday life.”
I have a mom who is definitely a superhero. She has been taking ice-cold showers for years, always claiming the benefits of them. Encouraging me to do it. Meanwhile, I’m cuddled on the couch with my two kittens wearing fuzzy socks and plushy blankets, watching cartoons.
Obviously, they laugh at me, as anyone should. But in a friendly way, constantly encouraging me to try it. They are extremely welcoming and it makes me consider it.
Honestly, my mom would be so proud…
The natural warmth that comes from these two people who often submerge themselves in ice is not lost on me.
The Ice Tub Club events are often a multi-layered experience. They have a mobile barrel sauna, yoga and breathwork, often local vendors come to sell their goods at the events, and there is always a local DJ. And of course, the cold plunge ice tubs are there for shock value, no pun intended.
Peter shares, “We have a mobile, eight-person barrel sauna. It is a wood-fired sauna. As far as we know, it is the only one of its kind in town. It is a unique experience in town: We pour water on the rocks to create natural steam, like a traditional sauna versus electrical saunas. We were only doing ice tubs for the first year and then we evolved into other experiences when the community grew. We have only had this sauna for the summer months. It will be so nice to have it in the winter.”
The best way to find out about their upcoming events is to follow them on Instagram. They have a few events planned for the coming months.
I know we just had a taste of fall last week with crisp winds and temperatures in the 80s and 70s, but the past couple of days that summer heat has been back on cue to punch you in the face.
This coming Thursday, September 11, The Ice Tub Club is hosting an event at Starland Yard where you can experience their mobile barrel sauna, yoga, Jose Ray as their live DJ, and an array of local vendors.
The event tickets are $25. There will also be discounted mocktail specials served at The Starland Yard bar. This is an amazing opportunity to try a different kind of event, rather than the classic walking and drinking on the streets of Savannah. The event will happen from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Most importantly, it is a chance to experience the cold plunge. See you there!
Love always,
Vanessa
If you find value in this website, please consider contributing above or via Paypal to help cover the costs. You can also send contributions via Venmo @Savannah_Agenda. Your support, no matter how much you give, is appreciated and will help ensure the future viability of this community resource. You can also show your support by subscribing below and sharing Savannah Agenda with others via email or social media. Increasing readership is critical to the long-term success of this site.
More by Vanessa
