Letter from the editor
The ocean temperature hovers around 42 degrees, but that won’t stop thousands of people from charging into the Atlantic to welcome the new year — South Jersey style.
Each Jan. 1, beaches across our region become the stage for one of winter’s bravest and most beloved traditions: the polar bear plunge. Some participants take the leap in support of meaningful causes, like benefiting veterans to cancer support and local autism organizations. On other beaches it’s less about charity and more about sheer fun, shared madness and tradition. No matter the reason, the spirit is the same: a collective deep breath, a quick sprint and a moment that reminds us we’re alive.
I’ve done it. Many times.
There were years when the plunge felt like little more than a shock and a laugh — in and out, high-fives on the sand, wrapped in towels before the cold had time to settle in. Other years were brutal. Bone-chilling. The kind of cold that lingers long after you’re dry. For many years, I made it a personal challenge: run the Ocean City Boardwalk 5K and then head straight into the ocean plunge.
Then aging had other plans.
A bum knee put an end to the 5K, and a growing dislike of cold water changed my relationship with the plunge. It didn’t happen all at once. First, I stopped going completely underwater. Then I only went up to my knees. Then just my ankles. Last year, with a brutal wind whipping across the beach, I didn’t even take my shoes off. I stood bundled up, cheering everyone else on.
And you know what? It was still magical.
It’s fun to watch the crowds show up on the beach in creative costumes ranging from superheroes to tutus to full-blown inflatables. The tradition doesn’t have to look the same to matter. Some people dive headfirst into the waves. Others give support from the sidelines with a cheer and a dry towel. Both count.
What I admire most are the ones who lean fully into the joy of it. The laughter through chattering teeth. The families who do it together year after year. The first-timers nervously pacing the sand and the veterans who barely flinch. The plunge isn’t really about the water. It’s about starting fresh. It’s about showing up, even when it’s uncomfortable. It’s about community, charity, tradition and doing something a little bit crazy — together.
As we step into a new year, time feels as slippery as ice. The older we get, the faster it seems to move. While I’ve never been big on resolutions, I do appreciate the pause that comes with a new beginning — a chance to reflect, recalibrate and look ahead with intention.
Whether you run in, wade in, or simply watch with a cup of hot coffee, there’s room for everyone on the beach on New Year’s Day. And however you choose to welcome the year ahead, I hope you do so with courage, connection and a few goosebumps.
Thank you, as always, for picking up Shore Local and for being part of this community we’re so proud to call home.
Peace & Love, Cindy
