Since 2017, a hearty group of folks have gathered at East Beach to kick off the New Year with a Polar Dip in the chilly Pacific Ocean. But this January 1, the bathers will have to take the plunge on their own. The Dip is on hiatus.
Artist Hugh Margerum, who began organizing the event eight years ago with his friend Julie DeAngelis, said that in mid-November, the city, for the first time, required providing lifeguards, trash and recycling receptacles, portable toilets, a permit for all food or beverages provided to the public, liability insurance, and a business tax certificate for any vendors or organizations receiving donations.
“Julie, and I talked about it, like, what are we going to do? It was going to cost probably about $3,000 to fulfill all the things they wanted,” Margerum said.