Hundreds of folks from near and far started off 2009 with a shiver as they plunged into the 45-degree waters of Lake Washington New Year’s day.
“I’m really scared,” said Renton resident Julie Balza, who was dressed in a bikini, before the countdown to dash into the water.
During the Polar Plunge event, a wacky Kirkland tradition, participants took a quick dip into the chilly lake at Marina Park, under an overcast sky. Afterwards, they warmed up by bonfires and enjoyed a free cup of soup, compliments of the Wilde Rover Irish Pub.
Cody Jansen, of Prosser, Wash., sat on an overturned bucket next to the fire, rubbing his foot with a towel.
“It’s actually not that bad,” he said, after his dip into the lake. “The worst part is that your feet get really cold. Next year I’ll wear my aqua socks.”
In consideration of how we voice our opinions in the modern world, we’ve closed comments on our websites. We value the opinions of our readers and we encourage you to keep the conversation going.
Please feel free to share your story tips by emailing editor@kirklandreporter.com.
To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kirklandreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) We reserve the right to edit letters, but if you keep yours to 300 words or less, we won’t ask you to shorten it.
