Last Saturday I covered the 12th annual Polar Bear Plunge, which benefits the Maryland Special Olympics, at Sandy Point State Park. Now, I grew up in Minnesota, so I am used to people doing crazy things to pass away the winter. I'm just not used to 10,000 crazy people doing the same thing.
I'm told that when this event started, there were just a few people, no media and no warming tents. Now, people start to arrive at dawn, in a full array of costumes. Some even set up tail-gating parties like Ravens football fans.
Everything is related to money; $50,000 for radio personality Keith Mills to wear a tiny suit into the water. $100,000, later raised to a cool million dollars, for Mega Millions lottery winner Ellwood "Bunky" Bartlett to shave his initials into radio personality Steve Rouse's chest hair. All for a good cause - but not for the modest or easily offended.
Let's just say there were many, many people who squeezed into bathing attire that fit them, oh, maybe 1,000 Big Macs ago. There were also the expected Polar Bear outfits, crab and shrimp attire, Batman and Robin costumes, and painted bodies with sponsors' names in appropriate places.
At noon, the group lined up along the shore, and led by the never-camera-shy governor, ran into the bay. The most sane ran right back out and into their waiting towels and clothes. Others splashed around, had photos taken or even went for a swim. Water temperature was 37 degrees and air temperature about the same.
Most of the people I talked to said that despite the goose bumps, they'd do it again next year. And donations are expected to top $3 million.
Great cause, great fun, but I was glad I had on a fleece pullover, a warm jacket and long pants. Hey, we Minnesota natives like the cold and snow, but we learned at a young age that bathing suits are for summer, jackets for winter and it's best not to confuse the two.