Make a Splash in 2017!

Monday, January 2, 2017 - 03:01 Caroline Temple

The adults made quick work of getting in and out.

How do you begin the new year on Ocracoke? By running head first into the cold, cold ocean, of course!

Today we kicked off 2017 with a Polar Plunge at the airport beach. We counted 37 people who actually ran into the water! The group included people of all ages. I spoke with 72 year-old John Crowe, who proudly holds the title of oldest one to do the plunge each and every year! (He says Philip Howard asked him to stop attending so that Philip can be the oldest – he's just one month younger than John! Better luck next year, Philip!) When asked if you have to completely submerge yourself in order for it to count, John replied, “It’s polar bear plunge, not polar bear get your feet wet!”

I also got to talk with Mila Ortiz and Griffin Wells, who, once again, was the youngest plunger. Griffin’s dad, Jason Wells, was the one to call for this event for this year. Thanks, Jason! Mila said, “Well, this is my first time. I’m really excited...I hope the water’s not too cold.” We were all in for a treat!

After posing for a photo-op and counting down from ten, the whole lot of us ran straight for the cold, glittering waves. Some dove on in, some waded in carefully. Everyone gasped from the cold.

The kids stayed in for several minutes.

Carter O’Neal was the bravest of all to be the last one out of the water. He had made it his personal goal on the way over to be last out. Go Carter!!

After we were all back on land, I heard from Junior Perez, who said “It was very fun. I love to do this!” But perhaps the most representative quote of all was Maddie Payne’s “eennnnghh.”

Ready to go!

At 54 degrees, with a water temp of about the same, it was a pretty fair-weather day to be jumping in the ocean as far as January days go! “Beautiful; small waves” is how Howard Bennink described the experience, and it’s true – the water was sparkling and the air was not as nippy as it could’ve been! And nobody got toppled by the tide (at least not too much).

As people stood around talking and laughing and drying off after the plunge, however, it started pelting rain, so even the more levelheaded of us who chose to watch and not take a dunk got soaked anyhow. As go one of us, so go all of us!