Frio the Bear, mascot for the New Year’s Day Polar Bear Plunge, soaks up the rays on North Beach in Corpus Christi. The plunge begins at noon in front of Fajitaville Restaurant, Jan. 1, to raise money for ALS research. Courtesy Photo
You can walk the Harbor Bridge or take a plunge in the icy waters of North Beach on New Year's Day in Corpus Christi this year. A longtime tradition, the Harbor BridgeWalk begins at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 1, in Heritage Park. About 200 people are expected to make the approximately three-mile hike over the bridge and back. Another 200 are expected to plunge into the bay at noon in front of Fajitaville Restaurant.
A first-time event in Corpus Christi, the Polar Bear Plunge is raising money for research to find a cure for ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
"We are plunging in honor of anyone who has ever had ALS or has passed away from ALS," said Alissa Mejia, who organized the event. Her father, who lives in Florida, has the disease.
The actual plunge will begin with a countdown, giving participants time to strip off outer layers of clothing down to their swim wear. When the whistle blows, it's time to plunge. "You can stay in as long as you like, there's no time limit," Mejia said. "You can go in and come out and go on into Fajitaville for the post-plunge party."
Registration fees include lunch and a T-shirt. Plunging into the shallow waters of Corpus Christi Bay is no big deal for Mejia, who has taken many a dip into much colder depths in in the past. She hails from Massachusetts but has lived in Corpus Christi since 2003.
"I'm in the bay every chance I get," she said. "I'm a windsurfer, so if it's windy, I'm in the water."
Water temperatures in the bay can fluctuate greatly, Mejia said. Last year, the water was 46 degrees. According to information from lighthouse.tamucc.edu, the temperature is expected to be about 68 degrees on Jan. 1. The chance for hypothermia, she said, is about zero.
While the plunge is a fun way to start the New Year for a cause, the main goal is to raise awareness and money for ALS.
"There's no cure, and treatment is very limited," Mejia said. "There's not a lot of research funding directed to this disease, and the people who have it tend to be isolated. The whole point of this event is that we are plunging in honer of those who have suffered from ALS."
nyone who wishes may visit the tribute page at polarbearplunge.cc and post their own thoughts about loved ones they have lost to ALS.
MORE EVENTS
If you survive all that, or missed the BridgeWalk on Jan. 1, you get another chance Sunday, Jan. 4, during the monthly BridgeWalk, which is part of each First Weekend event.
The first First Weekend of 2015 kicks off Friday, Jan. 2, with the ArtWalk in La Retama Park in downtown Corpus Christi. The ArtWalk is 5:30-9 p.m.
