The Polar Bears of Coney Island: An Honorable Mention (‘Cuz we screwed up and missed the show)
It was perfectly freezing out and we were watching people, soaked, in bathing suits, their skin glowing red with capillaries near-to-bursting, walking along the boardwalk at Coney Island. The wind blew around our earmuffs, but there was merriment going on with these folks. Probably shock-to-the-system endorphin explosion.
Each year, the Coney Island Polar Bear club hosts a celebration of New Year’s Day by inviting hundreds and hundreds of people to dip in the Atlantic. Just bathing in icy cold water isn’t enough of a shtick though, so many participants add a bit of flair.
Yes, there were also a few zombies out there who got to go in with clothes on, as well as layers of clammy make up.
We totally missed the immersion, but a zombie tells me that the experience is mostly…. numbing. It’s not so bad, he says, just numb. And then you want to go to sleep. Sounds a bit like death to me. Zombies got it right.
Visit the Coney Island Polar Bear Club
I wonder if this tomfoolery to continue after they renovate Coney Doomland and destroy the carnival, etc etc