At The Coney Island Polar Bear Plunge [VIDEO]

The Staten Island Advance reports:

Temperatures were in favor of the 2,000 brave individuals who plunged into the icy waters off Coney Island Beach in Brooklyn for the annual New Year’s Day Polar Bear Plunge on Sunday. Some individuals stripped down to their ‘birthday suits’ and swimming attire, while others took a run for the water fully clothed.

The Polar Bear Plunge is run each year by the Polar Bear Club, founded in 1903 by Benarr Mcfadden. It was his belief that a dip in the ocean during the winter can be a boon to one’s stamina, virility and immunity, according to the organizations website.