by MARTIN TAYLOR

Special to the Sounder

If you want to start the New Year with a jolt, take part in an Orcas Tradition: The Orcas Island Rowing “Polar Bear Plunge.”

The hearty souls of Orcas will charge headlong into Cascade Lake em masse. Within a few seconds they will re-emerge shocked into a clearer perspective on the world and ready for 2012.

Fortunately there will be moral support from the local crowd, a hot fire, warm drinks and snacks awaiting. And we hope you remembered to bring a change of clothes! This year there will also be a pancake breakfast awaiting those brave souls. Actually, you can eat the breakfast even if you are just a spectator.

The plunge happens very promptly at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 1 at Cascade Lake. The event is a low-key fundraiser for the Orcas Island junior rowing club. Donations are accepted at the plunge. Each year a commemorative tee shirt is created.

This year a very cool design was created by the team captain, Max Blackadar. The tee shirts will be available at the plunge or by contacting the club. Some rare historical shirts from past years will also be available.

There are sponsorship forms available from the rowing club web site www.orcasislandrowing.org in case you need some motivation to “take the plunge.” Let your friends and family know how brave you are and raise a few bucks for the junior rowing club.

This will be the 15th annual plunge. The first one was on Jan 1, 1998. That year, local sheriff’s deputies Ray Clever, Ed Commet and Herb Crowe were auctioned off to jump in the lake.

Since then there has been a theme for each plunge:

• 1999 – Winter Luau

• 2000 – Millennium Morning Toga Party

• 2001 – Soggy Prom

• 2002 – Soggy Super heroes

• 2003 – Washed-up Rock Stars

• 2004 – Frozen 50’s Soggy Sock Hop

• 2005 – Masquerade

• 2006 – Frozen Farmers

• 2007 – Freeze Your Booty

• 2008 – Hypothermic Haberdashery & Frigid Frocks

• 2009 – Save the Polar Bear

• 2010 – Hippy Nippy Dippy

• 2011 – Glacial Getaway

• 2012 – Frozen In Time

Be sure to use your imagination by dressing appropriately (or, better still, inappropriately) in costume for the “Frozen In Time” theme for 2012.

Be sure to turn up early so you don’t miss the event. Once folks are dressed to jump in a cold lake they don’t like to hang around for long!

To buy shirts call Max Blackadar at 376-4507 or email maxblackadar@gmail.com.  For information about the plunge, call me at 376-6935, email martin@orcasdigerati.com or check on the club website www.orcasislandrowing.org.