Polar Bear 2009

The masses have already gathered.

I'm the only one of my friends who went this year.
I guess this officially makes it a tradition.
But I'm not the only crazy fool out here.

This year there is plenty of ice on the beachfront.

Just getting to the waterfront isn't an easy task over all the ice.
There are always plenty of onlookers,
but only a fraction of the crowd will charge the water.

The minute it takes to strip down is almost worse than jumping in moments later.

YAAAAA!!!!!

Wow, it was cold this year. I felt ice forming on my face after submerging.

It really wakes up your system.

As my blood thaws I watch others go in.


I'm not sure how effective her hat is at this moment.

This little one is getting an early start to the tradition!
The ice encrusted sand is fantastic.