Hundreds plunge into bitter cold water to kick off the new year in South Boston
SOUTH BOSTON - Hundreds of Bostonians celebrated New Year's Day by leaping into bitterly cold water in South Boston Wednesday morning.
Tradition since 1904
"I can't feel my toes anymore, but this is fantastic," said William Geller, a participant of the L Street Brownies' annual polar plunge event.
The annual tradition has been happening in the neighborhood since 1904.
"It doesn't matter if you only go up to your knees, doesn't matter if you dunk in," said Mark Poutenis, another participant.
"It means reborn"
It's a tradition that longtime plunger Steven Popolo told WBZ-TV he's been participating in for the past 47 years.
"This is 47 years in a row here, since I was 20 years old, I'm 67 now," he said. "For me, It means reborn, it means rejuvenated."
Today's polar plunge is part of Southie culture and that's exactly why Michiel Coppes told WBZ-TV he brought his 7-week-old son Casey to join in.
"It's a real Southie thing. This was his Southie baptism," Coppes said.
For many participants, dipping into the frigid water on the first day of the new year is a sign of new beginnings and a time to come together as a community.
"I actually was just doing cold plunges myself and wanted to look for something a little bit more edgy," Geller said. It's a chance to turn goals that may start out as uncomfortable resolutions, into happy and healthy habits throughout the year ahead.
