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Polar Bears make splash on New Year's Day

Jumpers gather before the 30th annual Lewes Polar Bear plunge at Cape Henlopen State Park. The Polar Bears braved 47-degree water temperature to continue the New Year's tradition. BY DAN COOK
January 2, 2012
Karen Coning of Lewes leads a group of plungers into the Atlantic Ocean on New Year's Day. BY DAN COOK
Plungers of all ages run into the Atlantic Ocean at Cape Henlopen State Park during the Lewes Polar Bear Plunge. BY DAN COOK
The crowd rushes in the Atlantic Ocean during the 2012 Polar Bear Plunge. BY DAN COOK
Plungers run to the Atlantic Ocean and 47-degree water. BY DAN COOK
Veteran plunger John Fletcher runs into the ocean waves. BY DAN COOK
Katie Boltz,15, is all smiles as she exits the chilly water during the 30th annual Polar Bear Plunge. BY DAN COOK
Brian "Badness" Marrin is a regular plunger on New Year's Day. BY DAN COOK
Maggie Rooksby from New Castle frolics in the chilly Atlantic. BY DAN COOK
Recently engaged Tessa Shoup and Jack Lingo pose after their chilly dip. BY DAN COOK
Tom Gusmer from Virginia has been a Polar Bear since 1991 when Greg Mack recruited him to take the plunge. The Gusmer family are (l-r) Wendy; James,12; Karen,14; and Tom. BY DAN COOK

"Unseasonably warm" were the weather words of the day Jan. 1 as temperatures spiked to 60 degrees for the Lewes Polar Bears' New Year's Day jump, but bears still wrapped themselves in blankets and huddled in small groups until a whistle blast at 1 p.m. sent them screaming into the Atlantic.

Family, friends and canine companions watched the runners into the 47-degree ocean and out again as they counted heads for the nearly 100 who celebrated the 30th anniversary of the event.  Members of the Delmarva Chapter of the Harley Owners Group lined the boardwalk for a look before their return trip to Seaford on their traditional New Year's Day Polar Bear Ride.  The sun was shining, the wind was merely a stir, and the Atlantic sat down a bit  as the clan of the Lewes bears looked to a promising new year.

Bears who began 2012 with a jump into the Atlantic included Morgan Lammando, Casey Lammando, Vicki Lammando, Katie Lammando, Chuck Lammando, Ginny Lammando, Bruce Egolf, Liz Brittingham, Tabitha Rice Makhaul, Mike Ernesto, Bill Clark, Chip Davis, Autumn Davis, Gordon Davis, Kendall Adkins, Haley Adkins, Patty McCabe, Brendan Englehart, Charlie Englehart, Wendy Melecher, Elizabeth Hill, John Jones, Hayden Balback, Madison Balback, Georgette Balback, Clinton Watts, Ed Osienski, Danny Venini, David Venini, Domenic Venini, Annamae Dabatin, Mack Ennis, Denise Ennis, Matthew Ennis, Karen Zakarian, Jesse Burns, Bob Hughes, Olivia Palmero, Collin Palmero, Mackie Palmero, Amanda Lantz, Rich Lantz, Tykee Perry, Myla the dog, Brittany Kelso, Barbara Henry, Keith Ricker, John MacGaffin, Lorraine Wilson, Matt Hoffecker, Jeffrey Hoffecker, Ginger Golba, JoAnn Szczepkowski, Alex Golba, Matt Wrabley, Sabrina Wrabley, Karen Gusmer, James Gusmer, Tom Gusmer, Katie Boltz, Nicholas Boltz, Suzie Boltz, Sloan Criampa, Steve Welsh, Ray Blakeney, Hannah Martin, Karen Coning, Dick Coning, Greg Mack, John Fletcher, Kyle Koch, Chrystal Benner, Joe Cahill, Pal Backus, Pamela Rutherford, Jack Frederick, Suzannah Frederick, Lina Frederick, Will Frederick, Leslie Thomas, Ed McDonough, Larry Sharp, Bill Crotty, Jack Lingo, Tessa Shoup, Chris Gill, Pat Callahan, Jon Callahan, Austin Ross, Connie Miller, John David Miller, Dan LeClair, Alison Hughes, Bill Lingo, Dale Johnson, Deanna McCall, Ken Koch, Kristy Koch and Maggie Rooksby.

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