Freezing Frenzy at Fisherman's Beach

The countdown came and went.

Then: pandemonium on the beach. So many plungers and such a short distance to run.

Three hundred men, women and children — and several dogs — splashed into shockingly cold Swampscott Harbor at high tide Wednesday morning.

Some waded like ducks. Some bounded like bears. Others dove like penguins. At least one man did a handstand.

They came in floral shirts, grass skirts and bathing suits. 

Mostly they came in waves.

There were so many plungers at the Swampscott Yacht Club event that the Fisherman's Beach throng had no choice but to hit the surf in waves.

Here are some shots from the water entry.

If you have shots or video you'd like to add to our plunge mosaic send them to terry.date@patch.com

We will have additional coverage of this signature Swampscott event including video and a faces-and-feet-in-the-crowd gallery of photos.

We'll also have an article on the event, which benefited the Swampscott Public Library and The Haven Project.