Canadians ring in 2026 with ‘invigorating’ polar plunges throughout the nation

A whole bunch throughout Canada marked the beginning of the brand new yr by gleefully plunging into frigid lake and ocean water, some for his or her first time.

Alejandra Lopez, who’s visiting Nova Scotia from Mexico, mentioned she likes to do chilly dips in a bathtub with ice water again dwelling, however she’d by no means executed a polar plunge.

“One in all my resolutions was to do one thing completely different each month, and I began on the very first day (of 2026),” mentioned Lopez, who took her out of doors polar dip in Dartmouth’s frozen Lake Banook alongside a whole lot of different folks Thursday.

She mentioned the dip was loads of enjoyable and made for an effective way to start out the brand new yr. As she entered into the water, although, she mentioned her “legs began burning.” She stayed calm, and managed to remain within the water.

“I used to be actually excited, and I’m so pleased with us,” she mentioned. She managed to persuade her brother-in-law, Brian Summerhayes, from Dartmouth, N.S., to hitch her within the pleasure.

“It was very, very chilly. I don’t know if I’d do it once more, however I can cross it off the bucket listing,” Summerhayes mentioned with amusing.

He mentioned whereas submerged within the icy water he was pondering to himself: “Breathe. Breathe. What am I doing right here? Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.”

Organizer Koko McNeill, who’s a part of the Darkside Dippers, a bunch that hosts common polar dips in Dartmouth, mentioned 550 folks registered on-line to participate in Thursday’s dip. Many extra got here out to the seashore to cheer on their family members and mates.

The organizers reduce out a big rectangle of thick lake ice to make a pool space the place dozens of dippers might submerge at a time.

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Laurel Floyd from Ottawa was among the many courageous dippers, additionally taking the icy plunge for her first time.

She cheered as she waded into the icy lake along with her daughter and son in-law.

“It’s fantastic. There’s an ideal ambiance, nice comradery with all of the folks shivering in pleasure, and them stepping into and screaming and having nice enjoyable,” Floyd mentioned, noting her ft had been actually chilly to start with

“We needed to stand there (on the ice) and wait a bit. However when you’re in, it’s refreshing. Then there’s a stage of peace actually,” she mentioned.

In Toronto, a whole lot gathered to plunge into the freezing depths of Lake Ontario in assist of Enhance, a baby and youth advocacy centre.

The crowds warmed up with a dance celebration earlier than stripping off their winter coats and working straight into the water to the sounds of screams and laughter.

Pardeep Singh Nagra, a plunge participant, mentioned the dip into chilly water was “an effective way to start out up a brand new yr.” Donning boxing gloves and a championship belt, he mentioned he took the dive for his fundraising crew known as “BoxSingh.”

“That is only a in the future chilly for me, and for the younger children and youth that we’re supporting, their challenges are longer than a day,” mentioned Nagra, who has polar plunged greater than 15 instances.

“It’s an ideal turnout and that is what it’s about. You understand that persons are keen to come back out and make a distinction for youth in our neighborhood.”

In the meantime, mates Laura Kanas, Georgina Blanchard and Selina Whittaker held palms as they took the dip collectively for the trigger. Kanas known as the plunge an “invigorating” technique to begin 2026. Braving the chilly collectively represented their connection to 1 one other, added Blanchard.

“Contemporary begin to the close to yr – friendships and enjoyable,” mentioned Blanchard.

— With information from Rianna Lim in Toronto

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