Itsa国际传媒 not unusual to see people on a beach with red skin in the summer after spending too much time in the sun. But Wednesday afternoon, there were plenty of people with red skin at Peachlandsa国际传媒 Swim Bay after more than 160 swimmers immersed themselves in the chilly waters of Okanagan Lake as part of Peachlandsa国际传媒 Annual Polar Bear Dip.
The New Yearsa国际传媒 Day event, which has been running at least 20 years, was free and the 169 people who registered received a certificate.
To the delight of a crowd of onlookers, participants lined up along the shoreline, some in costume, waiting for the countdown. Most dashed into the lake and back out, but some took their time getting in and others spent a few minutes paddling around in the chilly water.
After their splash in the lake, most participants were giddy with excitement after conquering the frigid water. Many bundled up in housecoats that revealed their red legs still raw from the cold water.
Others posed for photos with their certificate of achievement.
For some participants, taking a cold plunge on New Yearsa国际传媒 Day is part of their tradition for greeting the New Year.
Cary and Marie Derksen, who came to Swim Bay wearing polar bear hats, have been marking Jan. 1 with a swim for 13 years, first in Delta and now in Peachland.
For them, itsa国际传媒 a chance to wash off the previous year and jolt themselves into the new one.
鈥淕o in fast and get out fast,鈥 Cary said about their strategy.
For others, such as West sa国际传媒sa国际传媒 Blake Moodie and his wife Lisa, it was the first time participating in a polar bear dip.
Moodie called it 鈥渕aybe a bad decision after a couple of drinks at midnight.鈥
鈥淭his morning, I got up and I felt a little headachy and I said, no more excuses,鈥 said Moodie, wearing a pirate hat with dreadlocks and draped in a warm blanket while waiting on the beach for the start of the event.
His strategy was to not think about the cold.
Gail and Les Gulyas make the Peachland Polar Bear Dip an annual tradition.
鈥淚 love it. Itsa国际传媒 so exciting and everybody you meet is excited to do it,鈥 said Gail.
By January standards, the weather for this yearsa国际传媒 event wasn鈥檛 bad, with grey skies and a temperature slightly above freezing.
Gail can recall a year when Okanagan Lake was open, but the beach to get into the lake was covered in ice.
鈥淚t was still a great year,鈥 said Gail. 鈥淭hat was exciting too.鈥
This year the Gulyases convinced John and Jackie Rivas, who were visiting from California, to take their first polar bear dip.
鈥淭hey haven鈥檛 even seen snow before,鈥 said Gail.
鈥淲e drove 30 hours for this,鈥 said John. 鈥淚鈥檓 just going to go for it and we鈥檒l see what happens.鈥
After the swim, the Rivases were exhilarated.
鈥淚t was amazing,鈥 said John. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I felt anything until I got out.鈥
鈥淲ell worth it,鈥 added Jackie.
Not everyone was as jubilant after getting out of the water.
鈥淚鈥檓 burning up now,鈥 said Sue Morgan following her first polar bear dip. 鈥淢y feet are freezing and my top half feels as though itsa国际传媒 on fire.鈥
Morgansa国际传媒 husband, Roy, traditionally does the polar bear swim with their son, George. However, as this could be Georgesa国际传媒 last dip before he goes away to school, Sue donned her bathing suit, Union Jack toque, earrings and bracelet and took the opportunity for one possible last polar bear dip with her son.
The mother and son swam out as far as the posts and back.
鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 too bad getting in, coming back was the worst thing. Then it was like ooh, is this cold,鈥 said Morgan. 鈥淏ut I did it.鈥
