PVB Polar Bear Plunge

For the second year running we've gathered in PVB for the infamous Polar Bear plunge... I'm sure everyone has their own version of the event - but the bottom line sequence of events is - you wake up on New Years Day make your way (walk/run, golf cart, or car) over to the Beach Club... Once everyone has gathered at the alloted time you all say the polar bear oath with about 50 others and then jump in the Atlantic.

I remember last year having rougher seas and being colder - but I was sick... this year the water and air temperatures were about equal in the morning (mid 60's F) - and I was not sick.

Pre-swim has champagne, mimosas, bloody mary's and coffee available with scones and other various breakfast-y treats

Here is the crew pre-plunge:
and then afterwards you are treated to black bean soup, hot cocoa, and what is left of the aforementioned beverages.

The cold snap that hist most of the US - including Florida, arrived later that evening - but we were very fortunate with the weather and were some of the last to leave the big porch at the beach club - enjoying the sun and recounting our individual adventures in the water (while the water temps were definitely not freezing there were separate occurrences of shortness of breath, pulled muscles, and sea water inhalation that all needed to be discussed!)

The prize / reward for all of this is the elusive and coveted official long sleeve t shirt that you only get if you participate... the front of the '07 version can be glimpsed below -- (I understand that design recommendations for the '09 version are already underway in a NYC think tank...)