The 5-foot waves breaking near North Avenue Beach on the first morning of 2003 ended in a frothy swirl at a jagged mass of ice and snow.
At about 8 a.m., a 45-year-old black belt in tae kwon do stepped over the ice to make his annual trek into Lake Michigan, wading to waist-deep water, where he stretched his body then submerged his head.
“It brings out the evil spirits and starts the new year fresh,” said Howard Proberts of Hanover Park, who has lost count of the number of times he has ventured into the cold water on the first day of the year but estimated it was at least 15.”Every year, I feel like I’m not going to do it again, but then I come back.”
Dozens of people headed for Lake Michigan Wednesday morning for what has become a rite of passage to begin the new year with a jump in cold water. A few, like Proberts, made the solitary leap into the water for spiritual or health reasons.
And then there was the Big Cat Polar Bear Club.
The seven friends met at North Avenue Beach, some drinking bloody marys and others nursing plastic bottles of Mountain Dew spiked with vodka, to prepare for their third annual jump into the lake. They, too, were asked about the significance of the jump: Did it represent a new start, a resolution for the year, a new challenge?
“Nah,” said Brian McDougall, 31, of Elgin, who for the last three years has organized a jump into the frigid lake. “Just sobriety.”
In Burnham Harbor, near Shedd Aquarium, about 20 divers from a handful of Chicago clubs began a ritual plunge Wednesday morning. For more than two decades, members of the 20-Fathom Dolphin Club have participated in the dive, usually held off Navy Pier.
But after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, officials declared that area off-limits. Although the participants said diving in a harbor wasn’t as exciting as other trips they’ve made, they were nevertheless looking forward to spending time with friends and continuing the annual gathering at a restaurant later in the morning.
“We’re just going to take a look around,” said Dutch Sikkelerus, 46, of Skokie, a Skyline Scuba Divers of Chicago member who has been diving on New Year’s Day for three years. “I’m hoping for a 15-minute dive.”
With their heavy gear, divers said the only part of their body that would get cold would be their face. But that wasn’t the case for the jumpers, who stripped down to a bathing suit or shorts.
The air temperature was just above average Wednesday morning, at 32 degrees, according to the National Weather Service in Chicago. The normal for this time of year is 30 degrees, said Joel Veeneman, meteorologist for the weather service.
The water temperature in Lake Michigan was 34 degrees at 9 a.m. Wednesday, and wind speeds were about 20 m.p.h.
“That’ll make it kind of nippy,” Veeneman said.
With those conditions, the seven friends at North Avenue Beach earned bragging rights for the year–or at least the first few months of 2003–by tearing off their sweat pants and windbreakers, throwing away their cigarettes, then rushing into the lake.
“We figure we can’t do anything worse [this year] if we start out like this,” said Brad Jones, 29, of Winfield.
Dan Damery, 35, of Lindenhurst, wearing sunscreen on his nose and a pair of shorts, was the first to leap into the cold water. “It’s just something to do,” Damery said. “It shows my manhood.”
