2024 is just around the corner and thus so is the pressure to land on an impressive but achievable New Year’s resolution. Hoping to be health-conscious? More daring? More social? Luckily there’s an event happening locally, on the very first day of the year no less, that will have you checking off all three.
The annual Penguin Plunge, hosted by Deep Cove Kayak and Coast Outdoors, sees hundreds of brave dippers take to the icy waters of Panorama Park each year.
“It is a healthy, happy, family-friendly way to shake the cobwebs off from your New Year’s Eve activities and start the new year fresh,” said Deep Cove Kayak’s owner Erian Baxter.
Baxter said the event is a “Deep Cove tradition” that much of the North Shore community looks forward to each year.
“It is always really heartwarming to see the local adults and kids come together and start the new year off with such a sense of community,” she said, adding how she expects around 300 swimmers to brave the dip.
This year the event will kick off from 12:30 p.m. and will comprise all the usual suspects: Blues entertainers Gary Comeau and the Voodoo Allstars entertaining from the stage, local hot dog cart Mr. Tube Steak feeding the crowds, a blazing bonfire and the much-anticipated costume parade, set to kick off from 1:30 p.m.
The plunge will follow shortly after at 2 p.m sharp.
Mina Kerr-Lazenby is the North Shore News’ Indigenous and civic affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
