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Sunday, January 02, 2011

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Westport New Year's Day plunge draws a 'parcel' of penguins.

Westport New Year's Day plunge draws a 'parcel' of penguins.

EverythingWestport.com

Saturday, January 1, 2011

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Click here to see 13 high-resolution photos.

The frenzied 'waddle' of penguins headed for the water, launched by the mighty blast of a Jonathon Paull's hunters horn in the 36th annual plunging of the penguins at Westport Harbor. The 'raft' was just as quick to scramble out of the 38 degree river to bask in the 47 degree air of a surprisingly mild New Year's day. Is this 'parcel' of penguins a few ice cubes short of a full tray? Are those of us who have never put a toe into anything less than a warm bath missing something?

And they pay out cash to do it!

Since 1975 the Westport Penguin Plunge has sponsored a New Year’s Day swimming event in Westport Harbor. The noon-time, chilly, “run and splash” next to the town beach at the Westport Yacht Club, on the river side of Cherry and Webb Lane, always brings in a crowd. This year over 40 brave souls hit the beach, stripped to swimwear, did jumping jacks to stay warm, and waited for the noontime call.

Starter Jonathon Paull has the perennial responsibility of launching the wave of hardy swimmers, and has been doing it since 1975. The young and not so young all take part in this mid-winter chilly dip.

Originally organized by Jonathon Paull, Fred Johnson, and Jack Dolan in 1975, this traditional New Year’s Day experience has been an annual event ever since. This year’s plunge raised money for the Hole in the Wall Gang and the Amanda Tripp Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Renee Jones (below left, right) of Tiverton is always one of the first to reach the water. A plunging penguin for the last five consecutive years, Jones screams all the way in and all the way out of the icy water. "I love it!" she yelled.

“We always do well in attracting a crowd,” Paull said.

By the way, a 'waddle' is a group of penguins on land, a 'raft' is a group of penguins in the water, and a 'parcel' is a generic term for a group of penguins.

A group of humans acting like penguins? Well, you can make your own call.

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