Polar plunge group grows, braves icy lake waters

Members of the Penrose family tried to keep warm by layering bathrobes and beach towels on top of their swimsuits.

They, along with 78 others, dressed for a day at the beach and braved cold New Year’s Day temperatures to take a plunge in Lake Monroe.

It was not the family’s first time swimming in the cold.

“It’s 40 degrees,” Spencer Penrose said. “Last year it was nine. This is a heat wave.”

Bloomington’s seventh annual Polar Bear Plunge took place at 11 a.m. on Jan. 1.

As the clock ticked, participants stripped off Ugg boots, winter jackets and hoodies, revealing brightly colored bathing suits.

At 10:55 a.m., the 82 swimmers lined up along the waterfront. At 10:59:50 a.m., the ten-second countdown began.

When the clock turned 11 a.m., the group sprinted into Lake Monroe. Just as quickly as they rushed in, they turned around and hurried for their towels and coats on
the beach.

Everyone’s previously pale skin now looked freezer burned. Red legs with bright blue veins were wrapped in towels and shoved into boots or sweat pants.

Spencer Penrose was back on the beach, wrapping his kids in towels. Teeth chattering, he admitted he wasn’t feeling the heat wave anymore.

“Seems like it was just as cold as last year,” Penrose said. “You know, I didn’t think it’d be that bad.”

Cindy Duffy, organizer of the Polar Bear Plunge, tried to get a final count on the number of swimmers. Duffy started the Polar Bear Plunge after she was diagnosed with bladder cancer seven years ago. She and her daughter, Christy, organized the Plunge as a celebration of life and a new year.

“Every year it’s another year I’m cancer-free,” she said.

Both Cindy and her daughter said they were overwhelmed by 2011’s turnout. They set a record last year with 30 swimmers and weren’t expecting to nearly triple their numbers.

“We started with seven,” Christy Duffy said. “We’ve had as low as three. Last year was our tipping point.”

Christy and Cindy’s celebratory attitudes have clearly caught on. Every year they take the Plunge as a reminder to enjoy life.

“I always think just starting the New Year is remembering to live life and to live wild,” Christy said.