Every year, I swear I'm going to take part in the annual New Year's Day Polar Bear Dip at Coney Island, and every year, I don't. But this year, I finally mustered up the will power and dove into the freezing Atlantic. I had no idea what to expect going in so wanted to write up a few tips for fellow first-timers. It's absolutely awesome, by the way, and everyone should do it at least once. 

Before the Swim

Most importantly, register in advance! Seriously, do this.  

To swim, there's a suggested $20 donation to Camp Sunshine, a retreat in Maine for kids with life-threatening illnesses and their families. You can choose either to register online or show up and pay on New Year's day.

If you register online, you'll save tons of time on the day of the swim; we signed in without any real line at the express registration table, while the day-of folks stood in a seemingly endless line. In addition, if you're the type who is likely to bail at the last minute (like me), signing up ahead of time is a great way to ensure you actually make it down to Coney Island.

Line up some friends! I was planning on doing the dip alone, but it was way, way better to have a bunch of people to get psyched with. If you can, try and bribe someone to be your beach buddy and hang out while you're in the corral before the swim; they'll make sure your bag and towel don't disappear and also be able to take pictures of you running like an idiot into the ocean.

Watch some videos! I didn't do this, but since there's so little out there about the logistics of the event, it'll do a lot to help you understand what's going on. YouTube has a million and one videos, from first-person dives to the ubiquitous newscasters.

New Year's Day Prep

Wear lots of layers! 

Our registration email suggested arriving at 11am for a 1pm swim, but even if you get there closer to 12pm, like we did, you'll still be hanging around on the boardwalk for a good long while. While you're waiting, there're plenty of places to grab coffee and hot chocolate to keep you warm along with lots of amazing costumes, so you won't be bored. 

For me, the worst part was starting to take off those many layers on the beach. It's windy down there, and you go from being cozy to numb almost instantly. The Polar Bear Club recommends you bring a pair of shoes to wear in the water because your feet numb up so quickly that you won't know if you've stepped on something terrible. I wasn't really in the water long enough for that to matter, but it's a good tip. 

Like most things that involve anticipated physical pain, the actual experience is way easier than you think it will be. We lined up in the corral around 12:50, and after lots of group jumping and clapping, we were in the water. It was over before we even knew it. The water wasn't nearly as cold as I thought it might be (water temp was 41 degrees, air temp around 30). 

Then you're back on the beach, where everyone is taking a photo of you, and you're desperately trying to find your towel. We stumbled back up to the boardwalk to get changed as quickly as possible, so it's fair to say I don't remember a whole lot from this point. 

A couple tips though: Keep your towel on top of your bag, so you can access it immediately after getting out of the water. That probably seems obvious, but mine was buried and I wasted far too much time trying to find it. 

Also keep in mind that your hands and feet might be super numb at this point. I had the worst time trying to untie my sneakers afterwards. 

Lastly, if you're on the fence about participating, don't be. It's impossible to regret doing, and I promise the hardest part is getting out of your post-swim shower.