5 South County Polar Plunges to Start 2017 Off Right

No matter where you end up crashing after the ball drops on New Year’s Eve, there’s a good chance there’s a polar plunge close by. Here in New England, where the ocean only ever gets “warm enough,” a New Year’s Day dip can be an arctic nightmare or a mildly unseasonable folly depending on how Mother Nature decides to play it (last year’s plunge was on a balmy, low-40s kind of day). Never taken the dive yourself? Here are a few things to know: the worst part is actually standing in freezing cold sand while barefoot, the actual plunge is way more fun than it sounds and the icy water will shock that New Year’s Eve hangover right out of you.

Get psyched, take the plunge and be ready for a fresh new year – and a hot cup of coffee or three – when you emerge from the waves. An added bonus? Most of these plunges raise money for great local causes, so let the knowledge that you’re doing something crazy for your fellow man warm your from the inside out.