Annual polar plunge kicks off the New Year

A small, socially-distanced group of Wareham residents entered 2021 with a splash by participating in the third annual New Year’s Day Sandy Beach Plunge.

Guy Hemond, who said he was one of three 2021 participants who also attended the Polar Plunge its first year, attended the event dressed as a lobster. 

“We all needed a smile and to say goodbye to 2020!” he said when asked what made him want to participate in the plunge. 

The group took the plunge at about 10:30 a.m., Hemond said. At the time, it was 37 degrees in the Onset Bay area, according to National Weather Service data. 

Hemond said the event is usually organized by word of mouth and through online posts. In years past, Hemond said, a banner would be posted at the beach the week before the plunge. 

This year, however, the group “chose not to in an effort to keep it small to maintain social distancing protocol,” Hemond explained. He said he hopes next year the plunge can safely have more participants.

“We’ll do it again in 2022 and hope for more participation, as the virus will hopefully be under control,” Hemond said.