Dipping in Style with The Rockaway Hotel

Story and Photos

By Katie McFadden

How does Rockaway celebrate New Year’s Day? With a dip in the ocean, of course. With a water temp of 47 degrees and an outdoor temperature at nearly the same, the polar plunge brings an invigorating start to the year. Making it even better, perhaps, is being led toward the ocean by a procession of stilt walkers and a band playing “When the Saints Go Marching In” as hundreds follow to start the year right.

The eye and ear-catching procession that went up the boardwalk was part of The Rockaway Hotel’s New Year’s Day plunge event. Some indulged in the ticketed aspect that included a breakfast buffet and brunch cocktails at the Hotel for some liquid courage before the dip, and post-plunge access to the Hotel’s saunas and heated pool.

But anyone could partake in the plunge on Beach 108th at 1 p.m. The Hotel’s procession met hundreds of other already waiting on the beach, including members of the New York Dipper’s Club, dipping for the second time that day, as they had an early start with a dip on Beach 67th on Monday.