The privilege of Santa Monica’s proximity to the Pacific Ocean will be on display during the first week of 2024. While other cities in the northern and eastern United States have major New Year’s endurance endeavors tied to surviving frigid waters, Santa Monica’s "Polar Bear Plunge" event is a tongue-in-cheek naming by comparison.
The annual plunge, taking place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Annenberg Community Beach House, reaches out to residents throughout the Los Angeles area to jump into the waters. Participants of all ages can either choose to dip their toes in the ocean, take a small plunge, or go all the way with a 300-yard swim around a buoy placed 150 yards out into the Pacific.
Beach House Recreation Supervisor Heath Hamilton said that waters will be a "little cooler than normal" in January, but the idea comes from the fact that residents can have fun in the waters year-round.
"Every once in a while, you’ll see somebody in Boston jumping into the [water] on New Year’s and it’s 32 degrees, the water is almost frozen," Hamilton said. "Or, they’re cutting holes in the ice up in Wisconsin for people to take a dip in. That’s kind of a true test of how much cold you can withstand. Here in Southern California, we don’t really have those types of conditions that we have to contend with … it is wintertime, it’s a different way to come and enjoy the beach, but really it’s not going to be … much crazier than the way you’d use the beach in the summertime."
After the plunge, attendees can use the beach house’s historic pool for a recreational swim, with Hamilton noting the pool will be heated for the occasion. Event registration, which costs $10 for adults, $5 for seniors 60+ and $4 for youth ages 1-17, includes admission to the pool, hot showers and hot chocolate on the pool deck. Registration can be done online or in-person on Saturday, but in-person registration may be limited come event time.
"[It’s a chance to] start the year with a good exercise, a good swim, then tell everybody for the rest of the year that that’s the way you got your year started, having a good ocean swim," Hamilton said.
Registration costs aid the Beach House’s activities throughout the year, including a birthday celebration of former property holder and actress Marion Davies in late January, a "cardboard yacht regatta" competition in June, and classes throughout the summer for swimming, yoga and beach volleyball.
Hamilton added that regular services, including the pool and other facilities, are "completely inclusive," and there is no type of membership fee or enrollment to visit the location at 415 Pacific Coast Highway.
"A lot of people think of this as a community center, but [also] a park that instead of having grass all around, we have sand … everything is set up on a daily type of use, so there’s no real block for anyone to come out and be a part of the beach house community," Hamilton said.
