Port Moody’s annual Penguin Plunge on New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, is taking on a new complexion.
And it’s not just the blue fingers and toes of intrepid swimmers emerging from the chilled waters of Burrard Inlet at Rocky Point Park.
The Pleasantside Community Association, that’s organized the event since its inception in the 1970s, is joining forces with a partner.
Long-time organizer Nicki Forster said proceeds from this year’s plunge will be split between supporting programs at Old Orchard Hall as well as the Crossroads Hospice Society.
In return, the Pleasantside group will be able to tap into Crossroads’ well-established expertise in managing the logistics of charitable events like its annual Hike for Hospice to help improve everyone’s Penguin Plunge experience.
One of the immediate benefits, said Forster, will be the ability for participants at this year’s swim to pay their five-dollar registration fee by credit or debit card, a convenience that’s just too complicated and expensive for the association to implement on its own for a one-time event.
Future enhancements could include a broader pool of volunteers to help manage the plunge as well as ways to maximize the amount of money that goes to the groups that benefit from it.
Forster said the constricted confines of the boat ramp means the plunge can’t really get much bigger than its current capacity of 400 swimmers. But it can get better, she added.
“I don’t think it can grow that much more,” Forster said. “But new people might have some new ideas.”
As well, branching out the plunge’s beneficiaries reflects the broader reach the event has developed across the Tri-Cities and even beyond, she said.
“It’s a Tri-City event now and it’s good to spread some of the donations around.”
Still, Forster added, the plunge will forever remain true to its origins as a New Year’s Day lark organized by neighbours to come together to test their courage in the cold water and share some laughs.
“It’s an energy,” she said of the motivation many local participants have to run down the ramp and into the cold water. “Everybody is happy. It’s something they really want to do.”
Registration of this year’s plunge opens at 11:30 a.m., with the mad dash into the water scheduled to occur at 1 p.m. Cost is $5 for each registrant.
As in previous years, Port Moody firefighters will tend a large bonfire to help warm swimmers before and after their plunge. Hot beverages and sweet treats will also be available for purchase.
If you’re planning to go into the water, the In the Swim blog has some safety and survival tips. They include:
- Take a cold shower beforehand
- That helps condition your body and lessen the shock from your sudden encounter with the chilly water
- Don’t stay in the water longer than five minutes
- That’s when cold water can begin incapacitating your muscles, although serious hypothermia likely won’t kick in until you’ve been in the water for 30 minutes or more
- Bring a fluffy towel or bath robe to get dry immediately and don’t forget to pack a change of clothes, thick, wooly socks and heavy sweaters
- If you have a pre-existing heart condition, it’s probably best to watch others frolic in the water
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