Polar Plunger - Sue Scharff is swaddled in towels after taking part in the annual News Years Day Polar Bear Plunge. The event, staged across from Duke's Restaurant on Alki has been taking place since 2000.
While many area residents slept in on New Year's Day following an eve of merriment, nearly 40 "Polar Bear Swim Club" members headed for the beach. They thrilled and chilled as they raced into, and then quickly out of, the 48.6 degree Alki drink for the tenth straight year. The outdoor temperature was in the high 30's, and the goose bumps were-a-poppin'.
Said shivering swimmer Cara Mohammadia, "Every cell in your being tells you not to do it, but it's fun."
The Herald wishes to thank Greg Whittaker of Alki Kayak Tours for providing a boat for our coverage.
