Wednesday will Mark the 62nd Annual Polar Bear Swim

Wednesday will mark the 62nd annual Polar Bear swim at Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro, and this year, unlike years past, the weather should make for a not so chilly dip in the ocean.

Temperatures for the New Year’s Day tradition call for a sunny, beautiful 70 degree day, which will not only help those braving the cold Pacific Ocean for a plunge, but the hundreds who will come out in support of the yearly event.

Polar Bear swims or Polar Plunges, as they are also known, are much less frigid in Southern California than they are at some of the several dozen locations throughout the United States. In Minnesota on Wednesday the high is a bone-chilling -8, while in New York City and Colorado it will be just 23.

Wednesday’s Polar Bear swim, which is expected to draw near 800 people, will start at 11:30 a.m. with the coronation of the 2014 Polar Bear King Richard Leach and Queen Lori O’Donnell.

The swim, in which swimmers can do a full plunge or just a dip, will start promptly at noon. All participants will receive an official certificate, and afterward, hot cocoa, coffee and cupcakes will be served, courtesy of the Lady Polar Bears.

Cabrillo Beach has hosted the swim since 1953, when John Olguin and Jack Cheaney started the Cabrillo Beach Polar Bears. Back then, much like today, the Polar Bears are simply put, a group of beach enthusiasts.

The club is devoted to the cleanliness of the beach, the health and physical fitness of the community, and it spends a considerable about of time on various community service projects, including painting out graffiti at the historic Cabrillo Beach Bathhouse, which serves as the official headquarters of the club.

The Polar Bear Club and its members are also known for their daily swims in the ocean and both dawn and dusk.

The Polar Bear Club has an administrative staff with a president, vice-president, treasurer, secretary and board of directors. The King and Queen are elected each year to represent the group at any community functions, such as the San Pedro Christmas Parade on the Polar Bear Float, and of course, they lead the brave into the ocean each year on New Year’s Day.

The event kicks off on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m., with swimmers hitting the water at noon.