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| A group of people took the plunge into English Bay today |
January 1 not only marks the first day of the new year, but it's also the day for the annual Polar Bear Swim in Vancouver, and in parts of British Columbia.
Thousands of people showed up at the English Bay to either dip their toe into the freezing water, or plunge their entire body into the water. While the outside temperature was 7 degrees, the water was much colder, and it's still chilly even in the summer.
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| The Polar Bear Swim is in its 105th year |
The Polar Bear Swim is in its 105th year, started by Vancouver restaurant owner Peter Pantages in 1920. His granddaughter Lisa Pantages says her Greek immigrant grandfather always swam in the ocean every day -- which is why he decided to make it an event on New Year's Day that year.
"It was sponsored. My grandfather would have people back to his restaurant. Anybody who swam got a free hot meal afterwards," she said in a CBC radio interview.
These days cold plunges are very popular, though there isn't much scientific evidence that claim it eases inflammation and improves mood, among other purported benefits. But it's something about a group of people gathering together and running into the water to start the new year that makes it extra special.
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