Back Eddy: We dare you!

WESTPORT — For the 18th time, Westport’s Back Eddy restaurant challenges brave souls to leap from their dock into the nippy Westport River on New Year’s Day.

The dock float is in the water, rescuers will be at the ready and good warm food awaits for those who sign up to take the plunge from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The deal is that those who plunge get brunch for free.

As of last Friday, 120 people had made brunch reservations but it’s not known how many of those will get wet first. Owner Sal Liotta guesses that there will be around 300 reservations.

“Plunge conditions look pretty decent,” he said, “The very early forecast is for air temperatures of around 40 or just over,” and water temperatures not much different

That’s better than last year when the air temperature didn’t top 25 . One year was so cold that, for safety’s sake, they called it off — diving into ice isn’t a good idea.

Mr. Liotta said he has noticed a trend over the years of an increase in the spectators-to-swimmers ratio.

“In the early days it was about 70-30 — 70 swimmers to 30 who came for brunch only.”

Now he says it is around 50-50. “We get a lot of people who don’t have any relatives or friends going into the water who are coming by for brunch and to enjoy the show.” Tables with water views are in high demand.

Last year’s cold kept the number of swimmers down a bit — 181. Mr. Liotta predicts over 200 this year if the forecast holds. One year it was so balmy (54 degrees) that over 300 lined up to swim. Serving 480 brunches stressed the kitchen staff and exhausted supplies, prompting the present reservation system and efforts to spread out the timing.

“I have a theory, not sure how scientific it is, that when the water temperature and air temperature are close, it’s less of a shock to the system,” Mr. Liotta said.

When brunch is done, tired staff will gather once more for their Christmas party — being held this year at the Red Dory restaurant instead of at the Back Eddy. “That way I’ll be able to relax and sit down and eat with everyone,” Mr. Liotta said.

Then the Back Eddy shuts down until late March.