January 2012

Kids and kids at heart were changing out of their jammies and into their swim suits (or costumes) on New Year's morning to take the 12th Annual Polar Bear Plunge across the street from Dukes on Alki at 10:00 a.m. While the South Pole hit a balmy 9.9 degrees on Christmas Day, a record, it was solidly in the low 40's here, on Alki this morning.

Well over one hundred people showed up for the event this year all in various states of readiness with some clearly not having gone to bed from the night before. With the water temperature at 48 degrees it was warmer in the water than out. Still it takes grit, courage and a good warm towel for most participants.

It could have been called a polar/solar swim as plenty of sunshine donated to the cause as people greeted the new year with an invigorating dip.

Photographers David Rosen and Kimberly Robinson chose two different vantage points in West Seattle to see and photograph the annual New Year's fireworks show at the Space Needle.

Rosen was down near Salty's on Alki with approximately 200 people between there and Seacrest (with many more watching from elsewhere) and was asked to "try something experimental" while Robinson shot her photos from the Myrtle Reservoir Park where a group of about 40 people came to the viewpoint to enjoy the spectacle.

Rosen's experimental photo was shot in Bulb mode, set at f8 using a Canon 7D camera. Using a wired remote he shot a 13 second exposure turning the camera 360 degrees to create amazing light streaks.

Up at High Point Rosaline Dacanay and Jerry Purnell (due to be married in March) thought the show was "better than last year". They come up every year from Los Angeles for the holidays (though they are both originally from West Seattle). They acknowledged that L.A. doesn't have anything like the Space Needle show. "We both come up here a lot. We like Seattle," said Dacanay.

To see a larger version of the photo above click the link at upper right.