Polar Bears Plunge into '09

Yesterday afternoon, as the air temperature was around the 20-degree mark, the Polar Bear Club celebrated New Year's Day in their traditional style: in the freezing cold waters off Coney Island. TIME Magazine takes a look at the tradition and talked to the club's head honcho. They note that the annual plunge has been going on since 1903, and that this year, nearly 700 were expected to take a dip while thousands watched from land.

The AP and NewYorkology have some video, and there's more footage here and here—though it all has us wondering if the people who don't fully submerge themselves in the frosty water are truly worthy of their "I Did It" certificates.

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By Jen Carlson in Arts & Entertainment on January 2, 2009 9:00 AM

Comments [rss]

Kevin Walsh

The Polar Bear Club used to be about 10-12 old guys jumping into the bay on New Years Day.

www.forgotten-ny.com

bubka

wow, I guess jumping in ice cold water can make people pretty cranky

vacantlook

"though it all has us wondering if the people who don't fully submerge themselves in the frosty water are truly worthy of their "I Did It" certificates."

I'm sorry, but you are seriously an asshole. I think every single one of us who went out there and got in the water is worthy of saying they did it. I was in up to my shoulders, does it not count if I didn't dunk my head in? Maybe you should think about the crowds and the fact that the 200+ photographers and camera men didn't have the decency to even get out of the way for the people who were trying to get out of the water and get dry. It took me 5 minutes to push through them to get my towel.

Did you bother to go out there in a bathing suit in 17F weather and get in the water at all, or are you just being a typical self-righteous blogger bitching about others from your couch?

Kyle T

I did something like this a few years back, but it was in Vermont and someone had cut a 4'x8' rectangular hole into the ice of a frozen lake. It's was fun.