Sacramento Polar Plunge Sat. Jan 7,
2012 at McKinley Park. Jump into
an unheated pool. How cool is that?
Sponsored by Parks & Rec department.
(916) 808-2306.
cityofsacramento.org
Polar Plunges find their roots in the Nordic ice swimming that is so
popular during the winter. California's winter polar plunge experiences seem
cold enough with ocean temperatures dipping a slow as 50 degrees, and
mountain temps at the lakes during the winters reaching freezing.
While there aren't as many January 1st polar plunges as there used to be,
the Special Olympics several years ago began organizing polar plunge events
as fund-raising efforts that are usually held February through March in
cities throughout California where sponsors form teams.
Many sources credit the Coney Island Polar Bear Club (formed in
1903) as being the oldest club in the nation, but San Francisco's Dolphin Club
(formed in 1877) has been swimming in its bay on a regular basis much longer.
The club's swims
tend toward the serious side for athletically-fit individuals. Coney Island
Polar Bears do it for fun and they only meet and swim on Sundays during the
winter months, unlike the Dolphin Club that meets and swims regularly in the
Pacific Ocean throughout the year.
A younger club that engages the public in its annual swim on January 1st
is Cabrillo Beach Polar Bears (formed in 1945). A king & queen are crowned
to reign over the beach swims all year long.
