The Polar Bear Club Enjoys New York Winters with an Ocean Swim
By Marquaysa Battle and Lilly Maier
Every winter season between November and April, a group of New Yorkers who call themselves Polar Bears give up some of their lazy Sunday for a dip in the Atlantic Ocean near Coney Island. The point isn’t to freeze to death, but to give their life a little more adventure during the winter.
“I hate the winter so much. And I am really like a summer kind of person. So ten years ago, I decided instead of sitting in the house mad for months on end, I would just go out and do something about it,” said Polar Bear, Bob Crace.
Every Sunday at 1 pm, the Polar Bears assemble at the Brooklyn Aquarium on the Coney Island Boardwalk.
The Polar Bear Swim Club was founded in 1903 by Bernarr Macfadden, a physical fitness advocate known as the “The Father of Physical Culture,” according to the Polar Bears. Macfadden believed a winter swim in the ocean strengthened the immune system.
Today’s Polar Bears also believe in strengthening people outside of the club. They have partnered with several organizations like Coney Island USA to liven the Coney Island community.
On New Year’s Day they invite all of New York to join their winter swim and raise money for a great cause.
The Polar Bears have a million activities going on in the water during a swim. On a recent December Sunday, they were so engaged that they outlasted their usual 10-minute stay.
