A total of 134 registered swimmers took part in the annual Boxing Day Polar Bear Swim at Goose Spit Tuesday; a slight increase over the 2016 numbers, and nearly twice as many as two years ago.
“Last year we had 124 so not many more, considering the weather was much more pleasant this year,” said Comox Recreation’s recreation programmer Amy Bauman. “But it’s the biggest one I have done. I took over organizing the event three years ago. In 2015 there were only 75 people registered, so by far, much bigger this year.
“I think this year the costumes were much better, everybody was super excited and the spirit of the event was much more evident. There were a lot of families that participated this year.
“I think the fact … that there was some snow on the ground made it fun.”
Participants were asked to bring a donation for the Comox Valley Food Bank as an entry fee, and the event proved to be a worthy fundraiser.
“We’ve got about $50 of cash donations, as well as three big boxes of food to take to the food bank,” said Bauman.
The youngest registered participant in this year’s event was three years old, and the oldest was 69.
“We gave away a prize for the biggest family, which was a family of five, and we gave away a prize for best spirit, which was a family dressed in some really great costumes.”