REGISTER TODAY
4th Annual North Fork Polar Bear Plunge
Plunge Update | In-person event cancelled due to extreme weather| Thank you for the Love
Veterans Beach
Mattituck
8:30 am Registration and pre-plunge fun (see FAQ for details!)
9:30 am All plungers on site and registered
10:00 am Plunge!
4th Annual North Fork Polar Bear Plunge
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4th Annual North Fork Polar Bear Plunge *
WEATHER UPDATE
While we generally love winter weather, we love the wellbeing of our vibrant community even more. With another storm on its way, and the continuing extreme cold temperatures, Mother Nature is not supporting the notion of a public plunge event held outside and in the water at this time.
We are proud and hugely grateful
You’ve shown more community support and excitement than ever, which warms us to the core.
Over 150 brave plungers have pre-registered and over 300 donors have signed up to show their support.
We also have double the local businesses joining in the community spirit
And if precedent serves, at least 100 of you planned to register on the day of the event.
We are in awe of you, and this community, and the shared love for community, joy, water on the North Fork.
THANK YOU FOR THE LOVE, THE SPIRIT IS ON!
Please join us in keeping the spirit of this beloved tradition alive. You can can pick up your Plunge merch at CAST, prizes will be awarded, and love is in our hearts.
Jump in at Ocean Hero level.
Help us take 100,000 plastic bottles out of the sea!
Help us meet our bonus goal of taking the equivalent of 100,000 plastic bottles out of our seas. Each pledge of $125 receives an official North Fork Polar Bears Ocean Bottle - the perfect aprés plunge flask! Each Ocean Bottle flask funds removing 25 pounds of plastic from our seas-the equivalent of 1,000 plastic bottles. Just think…in one plunge we can keep 100,000 plastic bottles from being ocean bound. Learn more about Ocean Bottle.
Your questions, answered. Plus, hot tips for your cold plunge
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4th Annual North Fork Polar Bear Plunge
Sunday, February 1
8:30-11am
Veterans Beach
11280 Peconic Bay Blvd, Mattituck, NYRun of show
8:30am Registration & pre-plunge fun
- Hot coffee, breakfast food truck, free mobile sauna from Bunji Box sauna; warm fire by Cifarelli’s Nursery.
9:30 All registered plungers on site and ready
9:45am Pre-plunge gathering
10am Plunge!
10:30am-11:30am Post event fun - Sauna, Breakfast, Fire, Community -
Sign up here! The fun begins the minute you register.
tinyurl.com/4thannualplunge
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You don’t!
Here are a few things you can bring to add to your comfort and joy.
Water shoes: Keeping your feet warm/protected adds to the ease of getting in and out of the water.
Two wooly hats: One for jump on in and one for staying warm after in case it gets wet.Windproof jacket, coat or robe: Easy to wrap yourself in before and after you plunge. Also, a portable changing room so you can shimmy off your suit after dipping.
Two towels: One for drying, one for standing on while you change.
A warm thermos: Bring your new North Fork Polar Bear Ocean Bottle filled with something warm. Hot coffee and chocolate also available on site.
Joy! The water will m get you with the energy you give her :)
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The fun starts at 8:30am. We have something for everyone - we want your friends and family to have fun cheering you on!
8:30 am
- Check in and registration
- Breakfast from our food truck, hot coffee, hot chocolate
- Free mobile sauna sessions from Bunji Box Sauna for all registered plungers.
- Warm fires by Cifarelli’s Nursery9:45am
- Pre-plunge gathering and cheer session10am
Plunge!
We are prompt! Arrive at least 30 minutes early!10am-11:00am
-Post plunge fun
- Hang out, sauna, breakfast, friends -
Our morning kicks off at 8:30am.
All plungers should be onsite and ready by 9:30am.Please allow time for parking, picking up your North Fork Polar Bear merch, last minute registration, sharing in the spirit of the this great community.
Show up early to enjoy hot coffee, warm fire, breakfast from our food truck, and free wood-fired sauna sessions for all registered plungers.
Need more info? Reach out northforkpolarbears@gmail.com
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WELCOME! The fact that you signed up is wonderful and brave. Plus you are making a huge difference for the community we live and water we swim in.
Any of the North Fork Polar Bears are happy to hold your hand as you get in the first time. Look for us in the BRIGHT ORANGE beanies.
Relax and exhale when you get in the water. Focus on a long exhale.
Don’t fight the cold. Let it embrace you. Great the water with love. She will give it right back to you. Imagine the water hugging you.
We understand the commitment, bravery and adrenaline it takes to get here, make sure that doesn’t overwhelm the signals your body is sending you.
Listen to your body! Staying in longer isn’t better.
Honor the afterdrop your body will get colder after you exit. The 'afterdrop' can potentially last 30-40 minutes or show up 30 minutes after you get out of the water.
Before you start driving home, sit and collect yourself. Hang out, sip warm beverage from your new North Fork Polar Bear Ocean Bottle.
We are a Leave No Trace community and leave wherever we dip, better than we found it.
THANK YOU
You are part of a very special community, and you being here let’s connect in a way that is not possible as individuals. -
Our top pre and post plunge tips
PRE-PLUNGE
Set yourself up for success!
- Have your towels ready
-Easy on and off clothing (no legging and complicated laces)
- Easy on and off shoes
- Hot thermos with hot drink ready
Greet the water with love (note fear)
- Will make your experience a million times better!POST PLUNGE
Get out
Follow your body’s guidance. One-three minutes is a general guide, but each person is different.
Get dry
Wrap yourself in towel or changing robe and shimmy off your wet bathing suit (your body loses heat 25% faster when wet)
Get warm
Add on dry layers, hat, scarf, pants sweaters, socks, clip on shoes, etc.Say hi! Plungers are brave, amazing people. Be sure to say hi to someone new.
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All proceeds directly support two fantastic causes: CAST, helping provide food relief, education, and support to North Fork and Shelter Island residents, and CCE Marine Program’s BACK TO THE BAYS Initiative, working to enhance marine habitat and shellfish populations along the North Fork and Suffolk County. Funds raised will continue to support the new North Fork Polar Bear Marine Stewardship Site. This first-ever North Fork Stewardship was made possible by all of you supporting this Plunge!
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Your support makes such a huge difference for our mission: taking care of the communitu we live in and water we swim in.
Proceeds from this event have helped CAST to provide food, education and critical services to the 1,500+ families consisting of approximately 4,000 individuals we serve on the North Fork and Shelter Island.
Back to the Bays used proceeds to enhance their North Fork based efforts, adding four new clam
barrels to support their juvenile shellfish nursery, constructing and deploying six Seahorse Hotels off Cedar Beach in Southold, and planting 20,000 oysters and 130,000 juvenile clams to improve water quality and advance local shellfish restoration at the North Fork Polar Bears-sponsored North Fork Polar Bear Marine Stewardship Site. -
Ready to Cold Plunge? - NPR
The Science of Ice Baths (terrific podcast on the science)
Cold and Heat Dr Huberman/Dr Susanna Soeberg:
The Insane benefits of Cold Water (wonderful podcast)
How to get started Outdoor Swimming Society
AN Exhilarating Dip in the Bone Chilling Sea -Outside Magazine podcast
How Iceman Wim Hof Uncovered the Secrets to Our HealthOutside Magazine
The new science of cold exposure with Susanna Soeberg
Dr. Mark Harper: Cold Water Great podcast
CHILL; The Cold Water Swim Cure - A Transformative Guide to Renew Your Body and Mind
Brave the Chill with Mark Harper - Gabby Reece Podcast
How Cold Can Supercharge your Health - MindBodyGreen Podcast
Cold Plunging with Maine’s Ice Mermaids NYT
Cold Water to treat anxiety and depression Dave Asprey Podcast
Thank you @Ebb.And.Flow.Collective cold water community for putting this list of helpful resources together.
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Community swims
Every Sunday, 10AM
Sign up on our website for our Sunday Community Swims. Every Sunday at 10am we light a fire and dip as a community. Everyone is welcome. We send out our location at 9:00 am every Sunday, after we’ve scouted for the safest beaches.
northforkpolarbears.orgWe have a What'sApp group. If you’d like to be added to it, send us an email at northforkpolarbears@gmail.com
Follow us @northforkpolarbears on Instagram
Can’t wait to meet you!
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Ask us anything.
Send us an email at northforkpolarbears@gmail.com
Become a Sponsor!
Join local North Fork and South Fork business who are making a difference for the community we live in and water we swim in. Sponsors are showered in love in all of our social media, signage, and advertising by sponsor level. Plus, you get great looking merch.
All proceeds of 4th Annual North Fork Polar Bear Plunge, benefiting CAST and CCE Marine Program’s BACK TO THE BAYS Initiative!
OUR MISSION
Creating community, physical and mental well-being, and preserving environments and waters of the North Fork of Long Island.
