Polar Plunge in Sharbot Lake

The Central Frontenac Railway Heritage Society stepped forward this year to organise the annual Polar Bear Plunge, which started up in 2011 as a part of the annual Frontenac Heritage Festival in 2011. This year, the Heritage Society offered to organise the plunge on New Year’s Day, in order to free up more volunteers and participants at the February Heritage Festival.

“We thought since in recent years, the weather has been warm through December and that New Year’s Day would be a good time for it, and there is a tradition of plunges on New Year’s Day,” said Rhonda Young, of the plunge organising committee.

New Year's Day was bitterly cold, and on the advice of the Central Frontenac Fire Department, a partner in the plunge since its early days, it was put off until January 10th.

January 10th was a cool, grey day, but nothing like New Year’s Day, and the plunge was on. The fire department was not able to create a safe entry to Sharbot Lake off the ice, so they erected a safety pool that they use, cut a hole in the ice large enough for a hose, and pumped ice water into the pool for the 20 plungers. From all reports from plungers, the water was not particularly warm in the pool.

The Railway Heritage Society reported earnings of about $5,000 from the plunge, money that will go to the caboose project they are working on currently.

The Railway Heritage Society reported earnings of about $5,000 from the plunge, money that will go to the caboose project they are working on currently.