'Excitement With a Little Dash of Fear': Polar Plunges Ri...

What’s Happening

Alright so Three the experts share the science behind taking a dip in cold water—and offer safety tips that any potential plungers should bear in mind Excitement With a Little Dash of Fear: Polar Plunges Ring in the New Year With a Splash.

But What Actually Happens to Your Body? Three the experts the science behind taking a dip in cold water—and offer safety tips that any potential plungers should bear in mind Marta Hill - Staff Contributor 7:00 a. (we’re not making this up)

The Polar Bear Swim in Vancouver in 1978.

The Details

Lisa Pantages, second from the left, will complete her 64th annual plunge this New Year s. Courtesy of Lisa Pantages The scene at the Vancouver Polar Bear Swim , one of the oldest polar plunges in the world, is a jubilant one.

On Canada’s English Bay Beach, people come dressed in costumes, veteran participants bear dozens of commemorative buttons from plunges past, and every year the tradition grows. For these intrepid, some might say ill-advised, adventurers, celebrating the new year means throwing themselves into frigid water.

Why This Matters

In 2025, the plunge’s 105th year, more than 13,000 people gathered to take a dip in the 44-degree-Fahrenheit bay. “It truly is a fresh start for the new year for a lot of people,” says Tanya Donaldson, aquatic services team lead for the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation and part of the team responsible for the plunge. “As big as it is, it creates its own special community.

Scientists and researchers are watching this development closely.

Key Takeaways

• ” What’s the appeal of such a physically shocking tradition?
• For many, it’s a sense of connection with the other swimmers.
• It’s not uncommon to see three or four generations of a family running into the water at once, says longtime plunge participant Lisa Pantages.
• Her grandfather, Peter Pantages, kicked off the Vancouver Polar Bear Swim in 1920, when he ran into the bay with a small group of friends.

The Bottom Line

There’s an “energy of excitement with a little dash of fear,” she says. “When you watch all these people running out of the water, you see how proud they are and excited and connected to the rest of the crowd.

What’s your take on this whole situation?