Die Hard “Plungers” Ring in the New Year at Kirkland’s unofficial Polar Bear Plunge

By Jeff Heinz on January 1, 2010 in Archived, Events, Headlines

By Jeff Heinz

The City of Kirkland may have canceled the New Years Day Polar Plunge at Marina Park, but that did not stop some from taking the dip. This was the first of these that I have witnessed and I gotta say it looked like lots of fun. I am officially committing to a “maybe” for next year! I have never heard of a, “Fourth of July Plunge”, but it sounds like a wonderfully warm way to start the second half of 2010. Great job to all that took the plunge! E-mail me at moc.oohaynull@ffeJyuGotohP for free digital copies of photos. Enjoy! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Thank you, Jeff for sharing your great photos! I have included a couple of photos I took with my trembling hands too. – Rob

These photos below can be viewed at www.flickr.com/photos/kirklandviews/sets/72157623117320512/

About Jeff Heinz

Jeff Heinz is a guest contributor for Kirkland Views and a local photographer. Find Jeff on Twitter or see more of his photography at Jeff’s flickr site or at www.JeffHeinz.com.

View all posts by Jeff Heinz →

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Marina Park, Polar Plunge, Swimming

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http://www.kirklandviews.com/about/ Rob Butcher

I’d like to thank the King County Sheriff’s Department for being at the beach yesterday morning. A Sheriff’s boat patrolled the waters off the Marina and a vehicle was parked near the dock. There didn’t seem to be anyone in need of assistance, but it is nice to know they were there just in case something happened.
KIRO 7 News was also on hand interviewing swimmers. Their report has yet to surface.

http://www.kirklandweblog.com/ Janis

Hey Rob! Thanks for being a die-hard plunger! I just spoke to my mom-she said she saw it on KIRO 7 at 11 last night.

http://www.kirklandviews.com/about/ Rob Butcher

Thanks Janis! I have not been able to locate the video on Kiro’s website (I don’t know if they even plan on posting it). If anyone finds it, please drop us a line and we’ll link to it.
Cheers!

http://www.kirklandviews.com/about/ Rob Butcher

I’d like to thank the King County Sheriff’s Department for being at the beach yesterday morning. A Sheriff’s boat patrolled the waters off the Marina and a vehicle was parked near the dock. There didn’t seem to be anyone in need of assistance, but it is nice to know they were there just in case something happened.
KIRO 7 News was also on hand interviewing swimmers. Their report has yet to surface.

http://www.kirklandweblog.com Janis

Hey Rob! Thanks for being a die-hard plunger! I just spoke to my mom-she said she saw it on KIRO 7 at 11 last night.

http://www.kirklandviews.com/about/ Rob Butcher

Thanks Janis! I have not been able to locate the video on Kiro’s website (I don’t know if they even plan on posting it). If anyone finds it, please drop us a line and we’ll link to it.
Cheers!

Downtowner

Their report has yet to surface.

No pun intended. I am sure.

It’s great that this took place after the city had cancelled funding. How did this event come to pass without the lifeguards and Kirkland police that were “required”? Was it unofficial? Were the sheriff”s deputies hired?
Downtowner

Their report has yet to surface.

No pun intended. I am sure.

It’s great that this took place after the city had cancelled funding. How did this event come to pass without the lifeguards and Kirkland police that were “required”? Was it unofficial? Were the sheriff”s deputies hired?
http://www.kirklandviews.com/about/ Rob Butcher

A few weeks ago, Janis Rabuchin (Kirkland Weblog) contacted me about how we might still have a “plunge” even if the city cancelled the event. We both are avid plungers and I was happy to help promote the “unofficial” event since there would be no permits, no bonfire, no EMT, no coffee and hot chocolate…
Janis reached out around town and Larry Springer and Penny Sweet generously opened The Grape Choice to all participants and gave us free coffee, hot chocolate and a place to warm up after the dip.
This was not a city “event” but the sheriffs were there doing their job – providing public safety. Granted, our non-event might not have been wise, but everyone there certainly had a good time.
Next year we will secure sponsors for this event and the 2011 Kirkland Polar Bear Plunge will be bigger than ever. Anyone interested in sponsoring, please let us know! Perhaps you will join us for a dip next year?
Thank you to all who helped make this a fantastic non-event.
http://www.kirklandviews.com/about/ Rob Butcher

A few weeks ago, Janis Rabuchin (Kirkland Weblog) contacted me about how we might still have a “plunge” even if the city cancelled the event. We both are avid plungers and I was happy to help promote the “unofficial” event since there would be no permits, no bonfire, no EMT, no coffee and hot chocolate…
Janis reached out around town and Larry Springer and Penny Sweet generously opened The Grape Choice to all participants and gave us free coffee, hot chocolate and a place to warm up after the dip.
This was not a city “event” but the sheriffs were there doing their job – providing public safety. Granted, our non-event might not have been wise, but everyone there certainly had a good time.
Next year we will secure sponsors for this event and the 2011 Kirkland Polar Bear Plunge will be bigger than ever. Anyone interested in sponsoring, please let us know! Perhaps you will join us for a dip next year?
Thank you to all who helped make this a fantastic non-event.
Brian Tucker

Thanks Rob, and Janis, for keeping this alive. I’ve watched off & on in the past , but was a virgin plunger this year. As much as I appreciated the deputies’ presence, I found it ironic the County funded 2-3 employees from their Dive Unit to be there while the City stayed away. I hope they enjoyed watching!
Brian Tucker

Thanks Rob, and Janis, for keeping this alive. I’ve watched off & on in the past , but was a virgin plunger this year. As much as I appreciated the deputies’ presence, I found it ironic the County funded 2-3 employees from their Dive Unit to be there while the City stayed away. I hope they enjoyed watching!
Julie D

I’ve never been to a PBP, but have been seeing the articles in the Reporter for years, and applaud the aplomb of the participants.
Just reading this article and comments, I felt compelled to comment myself, that it’s really just weird that the government has gotten so involved in seemingly every aspect of our lives. I’m not really thinking this through ahead of time, so am just expressing some random thoughts, but I’m just wondering why an event like this has to be so fully orchestrated by the government. Obviously, as was shown here, people on their own are perfectly capable of organizing their own recreation, entertainment, what-have-you, and I’m wondering why we have become so dependent on the government for approval and support of such things, even to say it may not have been wise to do it as an unofficial event. That sounded to me like someone feeling pangs of guilt, like a child doing something behind the backs of those who had withheld support and permission. I don’t mean this as a critique of anyone, just thoughts of how did we get here? Maybe the budget shortfall of the city which will require it to back off of some things in the coming years will turn out to be a good thing. Perhaps we the people can be more responsible for the city pride and not so much of it will have to rest upon or be given to the employees and council.
Julie D

I’ve never been to a PBP, but have been seeing the articles in the Reporter for years, and applaud the aplomb of the participants.
Just reading this article and comments, I felt compelled to comment myself, that it’s really just weird that the government has gotten so involved in seemingly every aspect of our lives. I’m not really thinking this through ahead of time, so am just expressing some random thoughts, but I’m just wondering why an event like this has to be so fully orchestrated by the government. Obviously, as was shown here, people on their own are perfectly capable of organizing their own recreation, entertainment, what-have-you, and I’m wondering why we have become so dependent on the government for approval and support of such things, even to say it may not have been wise to do it as an unofficial event. That sounded to me like someone feeling pangs of guilt, like a child doing something behind the backs of those who had withheld support and permission. I don’t mean this as a critique of anyone, just thoughts of how did we get here? Maybe the budget shortfall of the city which will require it to back off of some things in the coming years will turn out to be a good thing. Perhaps we the people can be more responsible for the city pride and not so much of it will have to rest upon or be given to the employees and council.
http://kirklandzoo.blogspot.com/ Per-Ola

Was in a car heading down to Portland, but would for sure “plunged” this year if I’d been home.
Glad to see that this “event” took place even though it was not “official”.

But, on the other hand, it is just a “plunge”, not a long distance swim. Does it really need to be official? Can’t we go in the water w/o having medical staff around?
Man’s been swimming for thousands of years…
http://kirklandzoo.blogspot.com Per-Ola

Was in a car heading down to Portland, but would for sure “plunged” this year if I’d been home.
Glad to see that this “event” took place even though it was not “official”.

But, on the other hand, it is just a “plunge”, not a long distance swim. Does it really need to be official? Can’t we go in the water w/o having medical staff around?
Man’s been swimming for thousands of years…