New Year’s morning was a little cool and overcast but the weather did not derail a record twenty-two swimmers from showing up for the 7:30 a.m. Polar Swim.
Open water swimming in Avalon is gaining legs! Two of the swimmers were young brothers from Pleasanton, California that showed up with no goggles, no caps, in Bermuda shorts, on a lark, for something different, having no idea what they were in for.
Taking twice the time to swim the 1,200 yards as the rest of us, they got out of the water with by-standers cheering them on, cold and shaking.
We had saved hot water and dry towels for them to warm up. Following the Plunge, the Brothers joined the rest of us for hot coffee and breakfast treats.
The next Polar Plunge was held at 11:30 a.m. Again, the Plunge had a record turn out of 45 plungers.
This plunge was a running dash into the water at Middle Beach and swimming to the first row of buoys. Following the plunge the city of Avalon, Recreation Staff, served hot coffee, hot chocolate and cookies that were donated by the Catalina Cookie Company.
