Ice cold hangover cure: New Year’s Day swimmers brave frigid sea water for annual plunges in Boston and New York
- The annual Polar Bear Plunge is part of a New Year's tradition that dates back more than 100 years
- Thousands of New Yorkers attended the Coney Island Polar Bear Plunge early Monday
- Bostonians celebrated their annual tradition at the L Street Brownies, where festivities began at 10 a.m.
Advertisement
New Year's Day swimmers braved the icy seawater for the annual polar bear dives that took place in New York and Boston, as part of an annual tradition dating back more than 100 years.
Thousands of New Yorkers attended the Coney Island Polar Bear Plunge on Monday, racing into the frigid waters of the Atlantic Ocean as temperatures hovered in the mid-40s and eager to ring in the New Year.
Some wore traditional swimwear, while others went for a more festive look: sports costumes, face makeup, head masks, wigs and colorful, oversized floats.
In Boston, the L Street Brownies celebrated their polar plunge in Boston Harbor, which started around 10 a.m. on M Street Beach. The National Atmospheric Oceanic Administration reported temperatures were around 44.6 degrees Fahrenheit.
Dripping in ocean water and wrapped in a towel, one teen told CBS News piece by piece, saying it was “very cold and shocking,” while another said, “It's a nice way to start the new year… with a bang.'
One family sporting New Year's gear — 2024 festive glasses and a top hat — called the event a “family tradition.”
“Now that we're married, we combine it with all our families,” said the celebrant, whose wife was adorned in a colorful costume and a yellow rubber duck around her waist.
The Coney Island Polar Bear Club, founded in 1903, says their club is the oldest winter swimming club in the United States. Members swim every Sunday from November to April.
But the L Street Brownies claim to be the oldest “polar bear club” in America, CBS News reported.
Proceeds from both events will go to local charities.
Last year's Coney Island Polar Plunge drew an estimated 4,000 people.
This swimmer looks ready for a dip in the icy waters of Boston Harbor as he rings in the New Year
Bostonians run toward the ocean waters during the Polar Bear Plunge on New Year's Day. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the temperature in Boston Harbor was a chilly 44.6 degrees Celsius.
A swimmer is seen mid-air in the icy waters of Coney Island
MORE swimmers enjoy the fresh water during the cold water dive at the L-Street Brownies
A group of swimmers celebrated the annual Coney Island swim on Monday wearing colorful knitted head masks
A reveler smiles big as he stands in the ocean water, dressed as a clown and surrounded by a red float in the shape of a dog, marking the New Year at Brooklyn's Coney Island event
A woman wearing a rubber ducky float enjoyed herself at the annual event that draws thousands in Coney Island
A participant shows just how cold the water temperature really is by the look on his face during the L-Street Brownies cold water dive at M Street beach
One swimmer wears glittery gold and black 2024 party goggles
Some swimmers felt like drinking champagne on Monday as part of the New Year's celebrations