Margate and Ventnor rang in the new year with a tradition that can only be held at the shore.
Robert’s Place held its 30th annual Polar Bear Plunge with pre- and post-revelry at the bar on Atlantic and Essex avenues. Hundreds of people partied through the wee hours waiting for their noontime jump in the ocean.
The air temperature hovered just below 50 degrees, but the ocean was much colder with a temperature of 42.3 degrees. But that didn’t stop thousands of would-be polar bears from taking their first dip of 2025.
Stacey Gogol of Ventnor was there with her friend Michele Hargadon, also of Ventnor.
“We come every year,” Hargadon said. “But my husband took a long time getting ready so we’ve only been here for about 30 minutes. Other years we come earlier,” she said.
Gogol is expecting so she was being very good this year.
Another family from Margate gathered up their relatives, all of whom relocated to the town a few years ago, bought T-shirts to identify themselves as a group they called, “Team Shrinkage.”
Deputy Fire Chief Patrick Armstrong oversaw the spectacle from atop the Margate Fishing Pier.
“We were really lucky the storm came through last night to make this great day happen,” he said.
The high tide at noon shortened the width of the beach somewhat and the crowd could be seen for blocks on either side of the pier.
“But even if it were raining, they’d all still be here,” he said.
Matt Yahraus of Sarasota was in town to visit the Armstrongs for the holiday. It was his first time watching the plunge.
“We went to a house party last night,” he said. “I’ve been here for the Memorial Day and Labor Day holidays, and we usually do a dock jump, but was never here with the frigid temperatures.”
Robert's Place hosted its 30th annual Polar Bear Plunge at noon on New Year's Day, with pre- and post-revelry at the bar to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project.At the Ventnor Polar Plunge, which was sponsored by the Ventnor Business Association, Vanessa Holm, 8, of Ventnor was participating for the very first time and was a bit apprehensive, yet excited.
“I’m only going in up to my knees,” she said.
A group of neighbors from Avolyn Avenue have been plunging on New Year’s Day for several years. They were clearly identified by their specially designed T-shirts.
“We’re getting bigger every year with all our extended families,” Alan Neibart of Ventnor said.
Meanwhile, back at St. James Hall a block away, families enjoyed hot soups, donuts and other refreshments.
The Fire and Police departments faced off in a chili contest, with proceeds benefiting their respective benevolent societies, and children enjoyed playing the inflatable games while a disc jockey played the hits.
Ventnor Business Association hosted the annual Ventnor Polar Plunge on the beach at Newport Avenue, followed by a Winter Festival at St. James Hall.Copyright Access Network 2025
