With a dusting of snow covering the ice and a stiff winter breeze blowing across Dartmouth’s Lake Banook in Nova Scotia, close to 500 polar bear swimmers rang in the new year with a frigid dip. “I am feeling great,” said swimmer Samuel Dueck. “Oh, it was great,” added Stephen Munro. “It wasn’t that cold, and I’ve been in colder.” For some, the experience was neither enjoyable nor tolerable. “I was in there for five seconds, just my feet but I could not do it,” said Jake Lillington as he quickly packed up his belongings and went home. One swimmer, up to his neck in cold water shouted, “no!” when asked if he would ever go for a polar bear swim again. New Year’s Day polar bear swims took place in many locations across Canada. In Toronto, turnout was massive, with hundreds braving the brutally cold waters of Lake Ontario. “It was so cold, that was my first time doing that,” said one swimmer. “Yes, that’s actually my fourth time doing it,” added another swimmer when asked if she would come back next year. In Dartmouth, N.S., many polar bear swim enthusiasts described this freezing-cold splash as an emotional and extreme experience. “I love to see my friends taking on this challenge and not being at home, not being on the couch but going out and doing something,” said Dueck. Not to put a damper on the happy holiday vibes, but there are health concerns to consider: Cold shock can lead to an elevated heart rate, spikes in blood pressure and even heart attacks for people with pre-existing medical conditions. “If this is not something you do regularly, I don’t suggest you try it for the first time on New Year’s Day, and I think it is potentially very dangerous,” said cardiologist Dr. Christopher Labos. Polar bear swim organizer Koko McNeill, pointed to medical evidence suggesting cold plunges can support athletic recovery and help reduce anxiety and depression. “There are so many benefits, mentally and physically,” said McNeill. “I go in for the mental benefits; I get in, I get out. It’s very challenging, but I feel alive and amazing afterwards.” McNeill said it is also a jolting and refreshing way to wrap up 2025 and start the new year with a splash – an opinion clearly shared by many across Canada.
