Vancouverites strip down for 99th annual Polar Bear Swim (PHOTOS)
It is one of Vancouver’s coolest traditions, literally.
Thousands of people braved the chilly afternoon in English Bay to help welcome the New Year with a splash, during the annual New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim.
The annual swim, now in its 99th year, is one of the largest and oldest Polar Bear Clubs in the world, according to the city.
Its initial swim was in 1920. In that first year, only 10 people participated. Peak entries was in 2014, when 2,550 people took a dip (this year’s numbers have not yet been confirmed).
This year once again saw participants shake off the cobwebs (and New’s Year’s hangovers?) of 2018 and plunge right into 2019 with a cool freezing cold dip in the water.
Here are some of the “coolest” shots of today’s event:
2019 Vancouver New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim (Steve McConnell)
2019 Vancouver New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim (Steve McConnell)
2019 Vancouver New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim (Steve McConnell)
2019 Vancouver New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim (Steve McConnell)
2019 Vancouver New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim (Steve McConnell)
2019 Vancouver New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim (Steve McConnell)
2019 Vancouver New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim (Steve McConnell)
2019 Vancouver New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim (Steve McConnell)
2019 Vancouver New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim (Steve McConnell)
2019 Vancouver New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim (Steve McConnell)
2019 Vancouver New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim (Steve McConnell)
2019 Vancouver New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim (Steve McConnell)
2019 Vancouver New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim (Steve McConnell)
2019 Vancouver New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim (Steve McConnell)
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