“Bracing” is a kind description of what the cold wind felt like the morning of New Year’s Day, but more than 100 people braved the temperatures anyway for the annual Plunge into the San Marcos River at Sewell Park.
“I never miss it,” Ty Johnson said. “It’s a baptism.”
Plungers crowd around stairs as they prepare to get out of the San Marcos River.
Ty and Cathy Johnson and friends Peter and Jolea Arcidiacono were at the river early, waiting for the stroke of noon for the group plunge. Ty Johnson called the others “conditional plungers” — on years when it is warmer, they jump in, but this year’s chilling winds were discouraging.
“We’re the towel holders,” Cathy Johnson said, gesturing to Jolea Arcidiacono.
Charmaine, Garth and Phoenix Wilde stretched and did jumping jacks to warm up before the noon plunge.
Ty Johnson said he and Cathy Johnson have spent a lot of time around water.
“We’ve been comfortable in water all our lives,” he said.
Some moments need to be commemorated with a selfie as Isabel Rodriguez, Eveleigh Jennings, Olivia Rodriguez, Raeh Corl, Charlie Warlick and Carson Weems did while shivering in their towels.
Reflecting on the ritual, he added, “This is one of the things that makes San Marcos special.”
Judy Burdett, Dianne Wassenich and Tom Wassenich before the festivities kicked off.
Compared to the air temperature — which was somewhere around 46 degrees at noon on New Year’s Day, not counting the wind chill factor — the 72-degree water in the river feels soothing. But getting out is another story.
“It is always a short party,” Dianne Wassenich wrote in the Dec. 28 San Marcos River Foundation newsletter, “since everyone likes to jump in the river on New Year’s Day, but they don’t hang around long once they get out.”
While many humans and dogs unreservedly leapt into the water, one dog seemed to be considering its options after its human companion had already taken the plunge.
