The first-ever Duck Dunk in Havre de Grace was a big hit on a sleet-y, slushy Saturday morning, and went off with only one small hitch.

The city's smaller version of the statewide Polar Bear Plunge drew 31 participants willing to jump into the freezing waters of the Susquehanna River. About 100 relatives, friends and assorted spectators also came out early morning.

Scott Hurst, chief of the Susquehanna Hose Company, said organizers are already expecting an even bigger turnout next year.

"We thought it went fantastic," Hurst said. "It was definitely a lot of people to start off the new year."

The Hose Company raised $9,000 from the event between sponsorships and pledge money, he said.

The money will probably go toward fleet maintenance, specifically, buying a new fire truck, he said.

Hurst compared the Dunk to the city's other duck-related winter event, theNew Year's EveDuck Drop.

"Every year we have the crowd grow and grow," Hurst said of the Duck Drop.

For the Dunk, "we already have sponsors for next year," he said, adding the Hose Company expects between 30 and 50 participants for 2013.

"That's what we hope for, but it was definitely a good turnout. Everybody had a great time," he said. "We fully expect it to grow."

Participants, who had to be 18 years old, paid $35 to register, or raised $35 in pledges each. Hurst said many of the dunkers raised $500 or $600 each.

For next year, "we wanted to change the way we do things. People wanted to spend more time down there [at Millard Tydings Memorial Park]," he said, explaining the 2013 Dunk might have "more of a tailgating atmosphere."

The event was largely organized by the newly-formed Susquehanna Hose Company Support Committee, and also sponsored by the Tidewater Grille, Hurst said.

"They did a fantastic job organizing this for us," he said.

The one glitch for the Duck Dunk came the night before the event, when someone stole 25 folding chairs and three tables the Hose Company had put out in the park the previous evening.

Hurst said the theft did not cause any major problem for the organizers, who just put out more tables and chairs in the morning.