Some wore headwear, including Santa caps and hats with “Happy New Year” printed on them. Others wore T-shirts. One fellow donned a Spider Man mask, which didn’t fit with his Darth Vader getup, but it didn’t seem to matter.
However, all were in swimsuits. And as 11 a.m. approached on New Year’s Day, they lined up a few yards away from the ocean, ready to make a sprint to the water. And when the horn sounded, sprint to the water they did.
Though ocean temperatures weren’t as cold as normal for this time of year in Wrightsville Beach, most of the nearly 200 people who participated in the inaugural Polar Plunge on New Year’s Day were shivering once they left the water.
That’s to be expected when the air temperature, at 56 degrees, is colder than the water temperature.
“It wasn’t bad at all,” said Jim Warren, of Wilmington.
Wrapped in a blanket, 17-year-old Lane Bordeaux agreed: “It was a little chilly, but not that bad.”
Warren was closely watching the water for his daughter, one of about a dozen members of the Hoggard High School swim team who made it a goal to go the deepest.
While most of the participants at the Polar Plunge rushed to the water, went in, got wet, and then turned around again, the Hoggard High swimmers, along with a few others, swam more than 50 feet offshore and circled in a group. They stayed there for about 10 minutes while onlookers watched from the shore.
For the swimmers, the conditions were different from what they’re used to in the pool.
“It was cold, but you went numb fast,” said Virginia Griffin, a Hoggard High freshman. “I got tired really fast. It was fun, though.”
The Hoggard High swimmers used the event as a team-building exercise.
“It was fun to be out there with the team,” said Sarah Smith, a Hoggard High sophomore. “At the beginning, it was what I expected. I got used to it.”
Hoggard High’s swimmers also used it as a fundraising opportunity, as they were the group to raise the most money for the charity behind the event: Cape Fear Communities in Schools.
Altogether, about 300 people gathered on Wrightsville Beach near the Stone Street access for the event. Organizer Bethany Leighton said going into the event, there were about 125 registered participants, with another 75 registering before the event. Around 100 people came to just watch. The event was billed “Freezin’ for a Reason.”
Initially, there were some concerns about where to hold the event. Town officials first approved the event for Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, where there is ample parking. But organizers later asked it to be moved near Stone Street.
One of the event’s organizers, Jim Busby, said it needed to be moved because since the plunge itself lasts only about 15 minutes, there was a need for other activities, especially after the event. At the Stone Street location, participants had access to the restaurants and shops in the area.
In addition to the chilly swim, the event featured a steel drum band, corn hole competition, a photo booth and children’s activities, in addition to coffee, hot chocolate and pastries. Participants also bought raffle tickets for a chance to win a standup paddleboard donated by King Neptune Restaurant.
The event collected between $7,000 and $10,000 for Communities in Schools of Cape Fear, an organization that helps at-risk students in the school system. The funds raised will go toward the salary of the Communities in Schools site coordinator at Williston Middle School, who helps students who have inconsistent attendance, discipline issues or other problems.
“For a first-time event, we had a great turnout,” Leighton said. “I would love to see it grow.”
Leighton said organizers decided to begin the Polar Plunge event because it provided a contrast to other fundraising events.
“We were looking for something different to do, something that could get people out of their homes on New Year’s Day,” Leighton said. “It’s a badge of honor, to jump into the ocean in this weather.”
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