South Boston polar plunge brings cold weather swimmers together to honor loved ones
SOUTH BOSTON - If it's New Year's Day in South Boston, it's time to go for a swim.
A 121-year-old tradition continued Monday with the L Street Brownies annual New Year's Day Polar Plunge into Boston Harbor.
Several wore costumes as they ran into the chilly water around 10 a.m. The air temperature was about 33 degrees and the water temperature was about 44.
A family from Allston dressed as bees to honor their late father, Lenny Kelliher, who did the plunge for several years.
"My father Lenny started jumping in the water in his 80's and then when he couldn't do it anymore by himself, we had to go and pick him up after that we just kept doing it." Lenny's daughter DeeDee Kelliher told WBZ-TV.
Mark Poutenis of Lunenburg wore a vintage Gerry Cheevers Boston Bruins jersey and goalie mask as he took the plunge.
"It's feels fantastic. It's about middle, it's not the coldest, not the warmest, it's nice," he told WBZ. Poutenis said he and his friends did it for a friend who took the plunge himself for several years, but passed away last year.
The L Street Brownies claim to be the oldest "polar bear" club in America.