It was a clear and cold afternoon for the 95th annual Polar Bear Swim, with an estimated 2,300 brave participants making the New Year’s Day plunge into English Bay.
As is the Vancouver tradition, the beach at English Bay was full of swimmers ready to kick the new year off with a splash. It was 3°C in the air, and 5°C in the water, according to meteorologist Johanna Wagstaffe.
Swimmers young and old, in various stages of dress, from goofy costumes to trunks or bikinis, ran into the water. Most ran right back out, but a few even took some time to swim.
Check out these photos and videos from Vancouver’s 2015 Polar Bear Swim:
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Photo by karinli/Flickr
Photo by Karen Lee Colangelo
Photo by Kenneth Chan/Vancity Buzz
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Photo by karinli/Flickr
Photo by Kenneth Chan/Vancity Buzz
Photo by karinli/Flickr
Photo by karinli/Flickr
Photo by Sherwood411/Flickr
Photo by Sherwood411/Flickr
Photo by Sherwood411/Flickr
Photo by karinli/Flickr
Photo by Jonahtan Ichikawa/Flickr 
Photo by Jonahtan Ichikawa/Flickr 
Photo by Jonahtan Ichikawa/Flickr
A perfect day for the polar bear swim in English Bay! #Vancouver pic.twitter.com/bJD3ZuPXeo — Kyle Pearce (@kaaist) January 1, 2015
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“We’ll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne.” #weloveourcoast #vancouver #polarbearswim #englishbay #beach #beachgram #coast #pacific #ocean #view #nature #naturescape #boats #sunshine #newyears #water #reflection #iphonography #instagood #igdaily #igvancouver #igbc A photo posted by celinaemcee (@celinaemcee) on
Photo by Jonathan Ichikawa/Flickr
Photo by Jonathan Ichikawa/Flickr
January 1 at the #PolarBearSwim at my EnglishBay in #vancouver http://t.co/oaR9K6NmR9 pic.twitter.com/LsRy5VCaJA
— Elle Toussi (@ElleToussi) January 2, 2015
Featured image: Sherwood411/Flickr
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