With New Years Eve just 10 hours behind them, over 50 revelers doused themselves into the not-so-warm waters off Alki Beach Jan. 1. They took the occasion, the 10th annual Alki Polar Bear Swim, to celebrate not just the new year, but the beginning of a new decade as well. The swim took place across the street from Dukes Chowder House on Alki.

Most ran into the water screaming and splashing, did an immediate about face, and darted back to shore. A few brave swimmers took the occasion to actually, well, swim, and stayed in for several minutes.

“Out with the old. In with the new, a good way to start the decade,” said Tami Schendel after the plunge.

“This was the best condition I have seen, no waves,” added Tracy Burrows. “It’s like a swimming pool out there.”

The event was established by Kip Kolodziejski and Jeanne DeBaets.

“It was the Y2K year and we wanted to do something big for the year 2000, said DeBaets. “It started with just us. The next year more people came. Then more the next. It just feels good. It wakes you up.”

Stands were set up on the sidewalk and Dukes Chef Bill Ranniger, his 15 year-old daughter, Samantha, and general manager Greg Green donated chowder to help warm the human polar bears before and after their dip.

Once the majority of participants returned to shore, with smiles on their faces, the chef and his daughter jumped in with their Dukes uniforms on. This garnered a loud applause and cheers from onlookers, many still shivering, huddled in towels.

“This was awesome and invigorating,” exclaimed the master chef.