At JFBR, we have a slogan “Live On Vacation Everyday”, or simply L.O.V.E.
Of course the beach is a big part of why we LOVE it here. When you first move to a coastal town, you tend to fantasize about how much time you’re going to spend soaking up the sun. You think about all the books you’re going to read with your toes in the sand, you imagine the great tan you’re going to get, and you ponder that sense of peace one receives when staring at the vastness of the ocean.
What NEVER comes to your mind is what it’s going to feel like to strip down to your bathing suit and jump into the salty water in the middle of January or February.
Polar Plunges are huge in this part of the world. There’s one in Wrightsville Beach on New Year’s Day. We know of a couple that happen in Brunswick County and at least one that takes place on Topsail Beach near the Pender/Onslow County border. The photos in this collection are all from the Kure Beach Polar Plunge, which is put on every year by the New Hanover County Special Olympics. This year’s event is scheduled for Saturday February 18th. It includes a 5k run, a costume competition, raffle and silent auction and three different plunges. One is for kids under 15. The second one is for those over 15. And finally there is a plunge for those who want to participate with their dogs.
I’ve done this twice in my life. Honestly, it’s not as bad as you’d think. It is cold…very cold… but not like hypothermia cold. The worst part is not jumping in the water, it’s the walk from the beach to your car. My advice is bring a warm terry cloth robe.
We do live on vacation everyday in this part of the world… and sometimes being on vacation means throwing a little a caution to the wind… even the chilly winter’s wind. If you’re new here, or thinking of relocating, then taking the plunge is a must. It’s a Coastal Carolina tradition you have to experience at least once.
(Thanks to the New Hanover County Parks and Recreation Department and the New Hanover County Special Olympics for the use of these photos.)
