Luxuriate in a “Glacial Getaway:” Take the Polar Bear Plunge on New Year’s Day

Photo of the 2010 "Hippy Nippy Dip" Polar Bear Plunge by Kurt Thorson

If you want to start the New Year with an electrifying jolt participate in an Orcas Tradition: The Polar Bear Plunge. It’s a simple event, the master of ceremonies will give the shout and the hearty souls of Orcas will charge headlong into Cascade Lake. Within a few seconds they will re-emerge shocked into a new perspective on the world and ready for 2011. Fortunately there will be moral support from the local crowd, a hot fire, hot drinks and snacks awaiting and hopefully you remembered to bring a change of clothes!

The event is a low key fundraiser for the Orcas Island junior rowing club (OIRA). Donations are accepted at the Plunge. Each year a commemorative tee shirt is created. This years very cool design was created by the team captain Jacqlynn Zier. The tee shirts will be available at the Plunge or by contacting the club. Some rare historical shirts from past years will also be available. There are sponsorship forms available from the rowing club web site www.orcasislandrowing.org in case you need some motivation to “take the Plunge”. Let your friends and family know how brave you are and raise a few bucks for the junior rowing club.

Junior crew members will be selling shirts outside Island Market on Friday December 17th 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. as well as on Sunday the 19th.

This will be the 14th annual Plunge. The first one was on Jan 1st 1998. That year local sheriff’s deputies Ray Clever, Ed Commet and Herb Crowe were auctioned off to jump in the lake.

Since then there has been a theme for each Plunge:

1. 1998 – Untitled first Plunge
2. 1999 – Winter Luau
3. 2000 – Millennium Morning Toga Party
4. 2001 – Soggy Prom
5. 2002 – Soggy Super heroes
6. 2003 – Washed-up Rock Stars
7. 2004 – Frozen 50’s Soggy Sock Hop
8. 2005 – Masquerade
9. 2006 – Frozen Farmers
10. 2007 – Freeze Your Booty
11. 2008 – Hypothermic Haberdashery & Frigid Frocks
12. 2009 – Save the Polar Bear
13. 2010 – Hippy Nippy Dippy
14. 2011 – Glacial Getaway

Be sure to show your sunny side for the “glacial getaway” by dressing in an appropriate (or inappropriate) costume for this quintessential Orcas affair. The plunge happens very promptly at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday January 1st at Cascade Lake. Be sure to turn up early so you don’t miss the event. Once folks are dressed to jump in a cold lake they don’t like to hang around for long!

To buy shirts call Jacqlynn Zier at 376-5599 or email jacq@rockisland.com. For information about the Plunge event call Martin Taylor 376-6935, email plunge@orcasislandrowing.org or check on the club website www.orcasislandrowing.org

Photo of the 2010 "Hippy Nippy Dip" Polar Bear Plunge by Kurt Thorson

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