Photo: Emma Friedman/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Boston’s L Street Brownies held their annual New Year’s Day Polar Plunge at M Street Beach in South Boston Thursday morning.
The over 100-year-old tradition has been going on since the early 1900s, shortly after the polar bear club was founded.
Participants marched from L Street Tavern to the beach at 10 a.m.
As for the main event itself, Bobby and Colin were two of those willing to take the plunge, and they said how this year’s water was much colder than last year.
“Some old man walking by told us, ‘If you don't mind it, it doesn't matter,’ and it's pretty cold and we mind it a lot.” Bobby said. “This was actually terrible. Getting out of the water was the hardest in years, and it's normally a lot easier than this.”
“It was like a warm 45 last year compared to a cold 26 today,” Colin said.
This was their third year participating in the polar plunge, and being former Bryant University swimmers, they even tried swimming some laps for good measure.
“Today was the toughest laps that I've had in a long time,” Colin said. “Bobby did better than me this year. He probably swam 100 yards. I jumped in and jumped out.”
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This wasn’t Steve’s first rodeo either. He even if he feels it’s getting a little tougher every year, he still was happy to participate
“The water was colder this year. I'm another year older, so it's a bit of an issue, but it all worked out. “24 degrees snowing. 40-degree water. What else can you ask for?” Steve said. “I think all I'm trying to do right now is recover my dignity, go home and take a hot shower and have some fun.”
Marshall was even more optimistic and is excited for next year’s plunge already.
“It was refreshing and extremely cold. You almost don't feel anything as soon as you jump into the water.”
It wasn’t just seasoned swimmers jumping into the cool water, however. Billy took a silly approach to the event and ran in with a full lobster costume on.
“Lobsters belong in the ocean,” Billy said. “I'd rather be on a hot pot though.”
More on the event and the L Street Brownies can be found here and here.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Emma Friedman (@EmmaFriedmanWBZ) reports.