Tuesday's Polar Bear Plunge to Honor Dave Whelan

More than 100 people have preregistered for the New Year's Day plunge, 11 a.m. Tuesday, at Fisherman's Beach on Humphrey Street.

  Swampscott High swimmers and divers will be among the throng pounding over Fisherman's Beach sand and into its surf Tuesday morning at the 2013 Polar Bear Plunge. Each year the Swampscott Yacht Club sponsors the plunge on behalf of a beneficiary. This year the beneficiary is the family of Dave Whelan, who served as Swampscott's town treasurer, School Committee chairman and as a warrior for equitable education funding. In 2012 Dave died of cancer. Plunge organizer and School Committee member Jill Hartmann said more than 100 people preregistered for the 7th annual plunge. "We've had a lot of community interest and people that want to come out to support Dave Whelan's family," she said. "He was a big part of this community. And it is a nice…

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The Plunge

Photo Gallery: Hundreds Plunge For Education

Caribbean-style music piped through Yacht Club speakers and hundreds of bare-footed plungers tromped into Swampscott Harbor on Sunday.

  Hundreds of plungers submerged themselves in 40-degree sea water Sunday raising thousands for the Swampscott Education Foundation. As usual, Greg "Polar Bear" Fitzgerald enjoyed his ocean plunge. "I love this," he said, minutes after returning to land. "I get fatter, hairier and heavier every year — so it gets easier." Fortunately, there were no seals on the beach. But there were plenty of polar bears, about the same or more as last year during the plunge. The bear who perhaps migrated the farthest for this rite of winter was Evert Kolthof. He came from Valthermond, Holland, about two hours east of Amsterdam. Evert joined his son, Dutch Kolthof, of Swampscott, splashing in the water.  The two were in high spirits before, during and after…

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