Hearty souls are poised to brave the frigid waters of Boundary Bay in a New Year's Day ritual Jan. 1.
The 34th annual Polar Bear Swim will see 300 or more people take a quick dip at Centennial Beach in Boundary Bay Regional Park while thousands more watch from the shore.
Festivities begin at 11:45 a.m. with children's crafts, family activities and entertainment. Registration begins at noon while the swim gets underway at 1 p.m. Swimmers will be cleared from the water as soon as the bell rings.
Prizes will be awarded to first, second and third place swimmers to the bell, the oldest swimmer and the swimmer from furthest away.
Registration forms are available at www.delta.ca, which will allow participants to complete the form in advance and bring it with them to the beach.
For those looking for an indoor workout, municipal recreation facilities will offer free swim, skate and weight room workouts on New Year's Day. Donations of non-perishable food items to the local food bank are appreciated.
