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Sunday, January 02, 2011
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Jumping
in style at the Back Eddy's Polar Bear Plunge.
|
Jumping in style at the Back Eddy's
Polar Bear Plunge. EverythingWestport.com Saturday,
January 1, 2011 photos/EverythingWestport.com Click here to see 55 high-resolution photos.
The Back Eddy
Restaurant hosted its 12th annual Polar Bear Plunge Saturday, and a
record-tying number of perennial plungers took off sensibly warm winter
clothing to challenge their nerve and verve in skimpy swimwear to take a
noontime dip in the Westport River, despite the icy 38 degree water. Why do
they do it? "They have
to totally submerge their body," Sal Liotta,
restaurant manager said. "Every hair has to be wet to get their brunch
discount coupon!" "It was festive
party," said Liotta. "The adrenaline was flowing, and we
followed it up with a little bit of sustenance. We always strive for a smooth
flow of jumpers." The host of all this
madness, the ever popular Back Eddy Restaurant, tied its 2008 record of 134
jumpers. "Today it was a
seamless effort to process all these jumpers, especially in light of the fact
we shortened the jumping period from three to two hours," Liotta said.
Each jumper had to sign
a registration form and a liability release to jump. "We now have a
excellent system," Liotta said. "The good
weather brought out a lot of jumpers, and many stretched out their experience
with multiple jumps. They were much more relaxed and took more time to change
back into their dry clothes. But in spite of all that we didn't really
experience any backups, not like in previous years." "It was a lot more
festive out on the float and the dock, and more fun for the spectators
too." "This was a
Disneyworld experience, and it's usually over so fast and so quickly. Today
they could take a longer time to experience the jump and be more
reflective," Liotta added.
Above: Best synchronized jump by a
seven-women team. Many people look
forward to this event each year. The day's 52 degree air temperature was much
warmer than the 38 degree water, and countless jumpers warmed up in their
bathing suits on the dock after jumping and were in no rush to change. "It's a bittersweet
experience," the good-natured Liotta said.
"After all this excitement and tonight's outstanding entertainment in
the restaurant, we then close for the season. You'd think I'd welcome the
time off, but I'm already planning and looking forward to our first month's
business in 2011." The
jumpers had all the right the moves. EverythingWestport.com
awarded honors to the top eight plungers for style and creativity:
Left: Best cannonball by Ken Sullivan. Right: Best gymnast dismount.
Left: Most original - walking the plank. Right: Highest jump for a pair.
Left: Most creative for a tag team. Right: most original - the "crucifix" by Mike Hartnett
while sons Colin and Dustin look on.
Above: Most composed and matter-of-fact. Sarah Guy of
Westport took her first Polar Bear plunge as just another walk in the park.
She waved to the photographers and just stepped off the dock. "It's not
that bad," Sarah said. Anatomy of
a cannonball.
Below: Justin Ponder (right) with brother, David, make
the leap of faith together.
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