Whether they have been in existence for four years or four decades, the Kitsap County-wide traditions of a chilly plunge into Pacific Northwest waters on Jan. 1 are gaining traction once again.
“It’s community fun. Just dive on in,” said Jennifer Strong of Tacoma, one of hundreds to make the trip to Olalla to celebrate the first day in the year of 2024.
The weather favored an outdoor gathering, the high in the mid-40s and the sun attempting to creep out from behind the clouds and early morning fog. But Olalla Bay was still freezing.
Don’t try telling that to Olalla’s residents and visitors, though. That fact has not stopped them from jumping in from the bridge above for decades. Some did it once and got it over with, while others continued jumping. They did so kicking, flailing or flipping from the bridge, marking the 40th anniversary of what is better known as a Polar Bear Plunge.
“It’s a proud event,” said Joette Jindra, who moved to Olalla and had resided in Port Orchard. “People are excited to do this, and we get to see each other. Now, it’s getting even more attention.”
The crowds have been slowly growing in the years following the COVID pandemic. “I would say three times as many people at nine o’clock here,” Allison D’Ambrosio said. “By the time we leave is usually when it’s packed, but today we got here, and already there were lines of cars both ways.”
To some, the Polar Bear Plunge is a fresh start, an early conquering of adversities one might face in the days ahead. To others, it’s ritualistic, a cleansing of what bad vibes of the past year still remained. Some families even think it a rite of passage, whether among their own or the community.
Above all other reasons to take the plunge, Mark Nervik said: “It’s a lot of fun, brings out a lot of folks. Really it just brings the people together.”
However, even when coming prepared, it sometimes takes a little bit of peer pressure to get the job done the first time. “She just told me to do it,” said 13-year-old Keagan Clare said, his teeth chattering as he spoke in the few minutes following his jump with his family. Luckily, there were no regrets. “Halfway through the swim, I was like, ‘Why did I do this?!’ Now that I did it, it’s all good.”
Those who took the plunge received a certificate, solidifying their accomplishment in writing. And the fun continued at the Olalla Bay Market and Landing, the site for an “Olallapalooza” as Gregg Olsen put it, with live music and food, heating and changing stations.
“We were thinking of ways that we could make it even better,” he said. “We’re sure proud to help support the jump, and what we learned from the pandemic is that people want to be together.”
Meanwhile, in Seabeck, the tradition is growing even though it’s just in its fourth year. At 8 a.m., a smaller crowd ran into the waters at Misery Point. While the waters were cold, too, participants were not in misery, they had fun, too.
Cassandra Martin said the event was brought to life by Stephanie George. “It was something that kind of resonated. We washed off the year that was 2020, and it’s been our tradition now,” she said.
It’s the aspect of small and strong community that Martin believes is special about local plunges like Seabeck’s. “This is a lot of the locals, mostly locals, doing this,” she said. We started with about twenty people.”
That number was easily doubled if not more, yet that community feeling remains strong. “You look around, and this is our community,” Kylee Davis said. “You all support each other through the hard times. There’s been plenty of hard times this year around us, so you feel really rejuvenated afterwards.”
Two women prepare for the cold, standing just one step away from dropping into Olalla Bay.
