Considered one of Vancouver’s favorite New 12 months’s Day traditions — the annual Polar Bear Swim — was celebrated by hundreds once more on Wednesday, in an occasion that has now unfold the world over.
Vancouver restaurant proprietor Peter Pantages started the tradition in 1920. Greater than a century later, hundreds of individuals carrying costumes swam at seashores throughout the town on Wednesday to have a good time the beginning of 2025.
In line with Lisa Pantages, Peter’s granddaughter, her Greek immigrant grandfather at all times had a connection to the ocean and swam day by day — which is why he determined to make the leap with pals on New 12 months’s Day in 1920.
“It was sponsored. My grandfather would have folks again to his restaurant. Anyone who swam bought a free sizzling meal afterwards,” Lisa advised Stephen Quinn, the host of CBC’s The Early Version.
“After which, as my grandfather turned sort of a bit bit iconic in his personal [way], day by day an increasing number of world consideration got here to Vancouver to note the swim,” she added.
In Vancouver, out of doors temperatures hovered round 7 C when the town’s official a hundred and fifth annual polar bear swim kicked off at midday — a far cry from locations just like the Ness Lake Bible Camp in Prince George, B.C., the place temperatures had been round –13 C on the time attendees did their Polar Bear Dip.
Dave Horton, the director of the bible camp, stated the swim introduced folks collectively as a gaggle, in contrast to different chilly plunges that he stated can turned about particular person bragging rights or social media clout.
“These are issues that collect folks collectively, that pull folks sort of out of … the loneliness epidemic that exists and brings them right into a shared expertise,” he stated.
Pantages stated many individuals have began to acknowledge the purported benefits of chilly plunges, and that Vancouver’s Polar Bear Swim has now grow to be a bucket record merchandise for folks all around the world.
“What we lack in chill, we come ahead with enthusiasm,” Pantages stated.
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