Large crowds that amassed at Armours Beach in Gibsons and the Davis Bay Pier in Sechelt for the annual New Year’s Day polar bear dip didn’t have far to go to get wet.
“Usually we have more beach,” said Lions Club president Linda Stroud, who organizes the Davis Bay dip. “The weather was just brilliant, the tide not so much.”
With tides peaking at 4.7 metres in both areas close to an hour of the planned plunges, people clambered down stairs and rocks to get to the water. Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCMSAR) stations 12 and 14 kept a watch out, and despite the awkward staging, the events were free of incidents.
Swimmers did luck out with the weather. Temperatures hovered around 11 degrees and the sky was awash in blue, which Stroud said helped attract the largest turnout in the event’s 28 years. About 115 swimmers registered at Davis Bay.
Crowds were large and tides high in Gibsons, too, where approximately 100 people registered, among them Mayor Bill Beamish. Coun. Aleria Ladwig attended, but remained landlocked.
There could only be one winner in the best costume contest, however.
Regular attendee Bob Stubbings of Hopkins Landing took the prize of a free RCMSAR 14 raffle ticket for his costume, which he called “retro nerd.” His wife allowed him to wear his good white shirt, and slacks, pocket protector and a tie with a Picasso painting rounding out the outfit. “There’s that line – older men in costumes, it doesn’t always look good, so you have to be appropriate,” said Stubbings of his outfit choice.
A small elf won in the children’s category.
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