Polar plunging in the U.S. supposedly started in Boston in 1904, but winter swimming has existed in northern countries as long as the ice has tempted the challenge. In the Bay Area, several groups of people performed the ritual, affirming their existence for another year.
The first splash of the New Year happened at 9:43 a.m. Monday. Ninety-nine swimmers jumped into the water from the island of Alcatraz for the annual 1.5-mile swim to San Francisco.
The South End Rowing Club, founded in 1873, has been enacting the tradition for more than 40 years. Escorted by rowboats, kayaks and other craft, swimmers headed to shore the moment the tide turned, and the current was slack. This year, the first swimmer came ashore in 25 minutes.
"There's things like leopard sharks that are bottom feeders, but there's not usually sharks that are human-threatening," said Zach Margolis, former swim commissioner at the club.
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Margolis said that once, in the 1980s, a woman who was 8-months' pregnant did the swim despite protests from members of the Dolphin Club, another swim group that partners in the event and neighbors them along the Hyde Street Pier.
Over at Ocean Beach on New Year's morning, at Taraval Street, a handful of naked bike riders with no tan lines took off for the 10th annual World Naked Bike Ride. They rode with the breeze to the Cliff House and back to the beach where they join about a thousand revelers lined up to face the 62-degree surf.
"I grew up in Palo Alto when I was little and lived on the East Coast, but I came back here in 2000 and I've been doing it here since," said Martin Moulton, the bike event's organizer. He said the ritual has been going on for about thirty years.
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"It's an exciting way to just celebrate our connection with nature. Air, earth, water. And we're all here together trying to have a good time," Moulton said.
"Oh, I just like being naked outside," said his friend Greg.
Andra Young, 63, and her friend Kathy Fitts Smith, 71, dressed in 1920's swimwear and came seeking life affirmation.
"In February this year, I had a house fire and lost everything and my two cats," said Young. "I go to this every year, but this year it is very symbolic for me. I want to have a total cleansing, and I'm looking forward to the new year in growth."
Talia Schreiber, 25, drove 30 minutes with her friends to participate and wants to do it every day in 2024.
"Yeah, it's like a community," she said. "You know what I mean? It's like everyone's running in. You don't even have time to think. You just have to go for it, and then you're in and it's fun."
