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Before the dip, participants and spectators try to keep warm near one of the fires next to the water.
Photo credit and thanks: Don Dunbar at EasternMaineImages.com Viewed: 1209 times.
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Almost time to go in and the brutal cold is nearly unbearable.
Photo credit and thanks: Don Dunbar at EasternMaineImages.com Viewed: 1371 times.
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Wearing a padded suit, a member of the safety team prepares for the dip. These folks make sure no one is injured during the dip.
Photo credit and thanks: Don Dunbar at EasternMaineImages.com Viewed: 1346 times.
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The anticipation is nearly as painful as the actual dip. The air temperature was 9 degrees and the wind chill -30 to -40 at times.
Photo credit and thanks: Don Dunbar at EasternMaineImages.com Viewed: 1256 times.
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This gentleman kicked off the dip by diving in from the pier. As soon as he hit the water, everyone else rushed in.
Photo credit and thanks: Don Dunbar at EasternMaineImages.com Viewed: 1216 times.
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If you had any intention of staying in the water for an extended period of time, your mind would be quickly changed. The cold is instantly numbing. Notice participants already on the way out on the left of the picture whild others continue coming in. I am in the left part of the picture wearing a white t-shirt and green swimming trunks heading into the water.
Photo credit and thanks: Don Dunbar at EasternMaineImages.com Viewed: 1370 times.
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To the left of the last photo, more participants continue to file into the water. Some people dress up in various forms of attire. The theme this year was "Mardi Gras."
Photo credit and thanks: Don Dunbar at EasternMaineImages.com Viewed: 1210 times.
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Some folks venture a little farther out than others but you quickly will wish you were back on shore.
Photo credit and thanks: Don Dunbar at EasternMaineImages.com Viewed: 1214 times.
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About 15 seconds would be all you could take in this cold water. Unfortunately, someone knocked me over and I had to struggle to get back to my feet in waist deep 36 degree water. I'm 3rd from the left in the white t-shirt headed out. From here, it was about a 200 yard run through snow to get to a warm car - nearly as bad as the dip itself!
Photo credit and thanks: Don Dunbar at EasternMaineImages.com Viewed: 1281 times.
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Some of the first folks out get near a very hot fire to try and recover.
Photo credit and thanks: Don Dunbar at EasternMaineImages.com Viewed: 1138 times.
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Dippers head out next to the pier.
Photo credit and thanks: Don Dunbar at EasternMaineImages.com Viewed: 1194 times.
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Here's a great shot of Polar Bear Dip action! I'm right in the center of this photo headed out.
Photo credit and thanks: Carol Smith
Last comment 04/10/07. Viewed: 1263 times.
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Once you are in, your only thought is getting out. Your feet feel like concrete and it seems that you are in slow motion trying to escape the cold!
Photo credit and thanks: Carol Smith Viewed: 1102 times.
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Some of the final dippers on their was out. Over 250 people went in and the crowd numbered in the thousands.Photo credit and thanks: Carol Smith Viewed: 1152 times.
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Until next year...
The dip raised around $35,000 for the Ronald McDonald house in Bangor, Maine. An amazing effort for the folks from Washington County, Maine and Charlotte County, New Brunswick.
Photo credit and thanks: Carol Smith
Last comment 04/10/07. Viewed: 1745 times.
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