Eleven-year-old Jacey Phelps, left, and friend Emily Lee, 10, play with body boards in the surf near the south jetty in Port Aransas on Thursday, Dec. 22. They were having fun despite water temperatures hovering in the low 60s. The beach might see a crowd of folks hitting the water during the Polar Plunge near Horace Caldwell Pier on Sunday, Jan. 1. Staff photo by Dan Parker
Dive into 2023 on Jan. 1 near Horace Caldwell Pier at 7 a.m.
The City of Port Aransas Parks and Recreation Department is hoping to start a new tradition on New Year’s Day by hosting the Polar Plunge.
“We wanted to try something different to celebrate a new year’s beginning,” said Kristie Stevens, parks and rec community program coordinator.
The traditional New Year’s Day event, the New Year Meander, has been replaced with a chance for folks to jump into the frigid waters of the Gulf.
“Colleen Simpson, parks and rec director, wanted us to change things up and do something that was done in the distant past,” Stevens said.
She said it’s a way for participants to “rinse off last year and start fresh in 2023.”
All ages are invited to take part in the Polar Plunge.
Lifeguards will be on duty to help ensure participants’ safety.
Folks who attend are asked to dress for the water, and costumes are encouraged.
Awards will be given for the best water entrance, best costume and the youngest and oldest participants.
There also will be a “New Year’s Resolution Jar” so that attendees can write down their resolutions and place them in the jar. The jar will be opened at next year’s event, and participants can see if they met their goals.
Be sure to bring towels and warm clothes to put on after the plunge. At press time, the Gulf water temperature in Port Aransas was 63 degrees.
Parks and recreation will provide coffee and hot chocolate to help folks warm up after they get out of the water.
For more information about the event, contact Stevens at (361) 749-4158 or kstevens@cityofportaransas.org.
Contact Vivian Carlson at news@portasouthjetty.com
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