Do You Have the Guts to Take the Plunge at Coopers Beach?
You wake up, it’s freezing cold outside, and for some reason you are standing at the beach with hundreds of other people in Southampton. There is a guy dressed up in a banana suit, and you recognize him as the Mayor of Southampton. Then you see a big fat fella smoking a cigar and wearing a Speedo, and then you see a group of teenagers in bathing suits wearing Christmas hats, and all of this feels oddly normal.
It’s official: The Southampton Polar Bear Plunge For Hunger is about to begin.
You hear a countdown, then a gunshot, and before you know it you are running full throttle with a massive group into the ice-cold December ocean. There is screaming everywhere. You hit the water and your body freezes. You can barely breath, you can’t feel your extremities, but dear God is this one hell of a good time.
The Southampton Polar Bear Plunge for Hunger is this Saturday at Coopers Beach, and now that it is in its eighth year, we can officially call it a Southampton tradition—a tradition that just seems to get bigger and better.
The entire event will benefit Human Resources of the Hamptons, a Southampton organization whose mission is to help those facing poverty, hunger and homelessness.
Here’s a video that we did in 2006 of the Plunge. It’s a great time. See you there!