They could not “bear” not doing so.
The annual “Polar Bears” swim on New Year’s Day outside Coney Island was officially canceled on Friday, but that did not stop a few hundred obstinate renegades from taking off their bathing suits and diving.
“A lot of the things I normally do every year have been canceled – the mermaid parade, baseball, everything we normally do that is traditional,” explained Chris Geiger, 45, who traveled from Glendale to jump into the 50 degree Fahrenheit Atlantic.
“I said, ‘I don’t care. We will do that. It will be quick. We will be safe, ‘”said Geiger.
“In fact, it is safer than ever. It is usually so crowded that you can’t even walk on the beach. This is cool. This is much better than normal. “
The Coney Island Polar Bear Club announced in November that it was canceling the event due to concerns about the coronavirus, so the 200 to 300 people who dived were not allowed and violated city rules that prohibit swimming without a lifeguard.
Still, they maintained their social distance and spread their frigid pranks over a few blocks and several hours.
“It was breathtaking,” Rachael Pollina, 39, of Ridgewood, told The Post.
“I think we knew we were going to do it anyway because we love it and, honestly, canceling brought in much less than a crowd. So I think it’s really safer. “
Typically, thousands of people dive while thousands more watch, organizers said.
But on Friday, only about 200 spectators lined up on the boardwalk or stepped on the sand to see the reduced event.
Among them was a trio of NYPD officers, one of whom shrugged when asked about the apparent violation of the swimming ban rules. When a Post reporter pressed: “Is the crowd too big? Can’t you arrest everyone? ”, Replied the policeman,“ Exactly ”.
Notably absent on Friday was Polar Bears Club president Dennis Thomas, who said he slept on the first day of the new year in 30 years.
“It’s a great New York tradition, started in 1903,” said Thomas, 65.
“And some people are going to continue whatever happens,” he added. “But next year, we will be back bigger than ever.”
In a typical New Year, more than 3,000 people take a quick dip while 10,000 watch, he said.
A 35-year-old rapper from Coney Island who goes by the name of Gorilla Nems called the annual rite “baptism”.
“Polar bears cannot officially do this because of the coronavirus, so we are here to show that we are strong in New York, and no matter what obstacles come our way, we overcome that. We persevere in this because that is what we are. We are New Yorkers. “
A 21-year-old rapper from Flatbush, who serves for Danse, agreed.
“We have to leave 2020 behind. It’s been a tough year, but you know how it is – going out with the old and going in with the new, ”he said.
“We are New Yorkers, we are back. And we owe it to people who were unable to come here – some who died last year who were annual members – to come and do that. “
Emmett McElory, 19, from New Milford, NJ, would not let COVID stand in the way of an annual family tradition.
“It’s very different this year, it’s not a big crowd,” he said. “But after what we went through in 2020, it’s a better start for a better year.”