Douglaston Polar Bears Take Frosty New Year's Dip

While most of Douglaston was sleeping off New Year's celebrations yesterday, a handful of intrepid community residents spent a morning at the beach.

Members of the Douglaston Polar Bear Club took their fourth annual New Year's dip from the Douglaston Dock into Little Neck Bay at 10:30 a.m. as an audience of admiring friends and skeptical family members cheered them on. 

This year's weather was merciful for the fearless group - Brian Burke, Tom Carty, Douglas Montgomery and his 9-year-old son, Pierce – as the air temperature hovered just above 40 degrees with no wind.

While the Coney Island Polar Bear Club may be the oldest in the country, their northeast Queens cousins take a back seat to no one.

"Often the water in Long Island Sound is colder than the ocean," said Montgomery, noting that the water was fully eight degrees cooler last year. "The bay froze over the next day."

This year, the locals enjoyed a tepid 38-degree bath, which was about the same as their Brooklyn shoal mates.

 "This is my first time here," said newcomer Thomson, a Canadian native. "But I've done it before back home – this is like a balmy day where I come from."

"It's April weather for Canada," Thompson's wife, Pia, said.

The event got its start five years ago when two local residents challenged each other to a New Year's dip at a nearby stretch of shoreline.

"It was bitter cold with 30-miles-per-hour winds," Montgomery recalled. "When we got out, the water froze on us."

Despite the higher temperatures, some participants could not remain in the chilly water for the two minutes experts say is required to get the "Polar Bear high" of endorphins.

"It hurts," said veteran dipper Tom Carty. "But it's when it stops hurting that you have to worry."

This year's event also raised $200 for the Little Neck-Douglaston Community Ambulance Corps. Donations were held by 11-year-old Terryl Montgomery, who decided to participate from the shore.

"I'm proud of my boys," said Jacqueline Montgomery as she recorded the event for posterity.

"But I still think they're crazy."