PORT ANGELES — More than 75 hardy residents and visitors kicked off the new year Tuesday with an exhilarating dip in the frigid water of Port Angeles Harbor.
Calling themselves “Polar Bears,” participants lined Hollywood Beach at 10 a.m. for the 14th annual Polar Bear Dip, sponsored by the Olympic Peninsula Sports Club.
More than 150 spectators watched as the swimmers — clad in swimsuits, shorts and cutoffs — braved an influx of seaweed to submerse themselves in the chilly 40-degree water.
“It was cold,” said 6-year-old Nick Lasorsa of Port Angeles.
For Lasorsa, being a polar bear is old hat — he and his parents, Dave and Brenda Lasorsa, traditionally participate.
This polar bear event marked the 10th year in which the Lasorsa family has taken a dive, they said.
The rest of this story appears in today’s Peninsula Daily News. Click on “Subscribe” to get the PDN delivered to your home or office.