As always, the annual Coney Island Polar Bear Plunge turned the beach and boardwalk into a party on New Year's Day.
It was 38 degrees around 1 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon, and an unfriendly wind was coming off of the water when the first of hundreds of maniacs tore down the beach at Coney Island and shrieked their way into the Atlantic Ocean.
The beach at the end of Stillwell Avenue was packed with spectators and loved ones cheering on the often ridiculously-costumed plungers as they raced down the sandy chute. Wave after wave of gleeful insanity lasted about 40 minutes, and then the first Polar Bear Plunge of the new decade was done, everyone bundled and drinking on the boardwalk, or scarfing down a bagel on the train ride home. There are always a few die-hards who stay in the water, but for the most part this event is indeed a plunge.
For those who stayed, the boardwalk scene before and after was one big party, with a DJ getting the crowd jumping by the bathhouse, and Ruby's pouring drinks to the chilled, grateful masses.
The FDNY contributed a large contingent of rescuers-on-standby, the great Fogo Azul drum corps banged out the beats on the beach, and a host of volunteers from the official Polar Bear Club, who do this swim every Sunday all winter, made sure this massive operation ran smoothly, and that everyone was safe. This year the group raised well over $50,000 from registered plungers, which goes directly back into the immediate community.
