Polar Bear Swims 2011 - mixing madness with the bliss to bring in the new year.

Welcome to Harding Bay, Nova Scotia: "200-jumpers" took the leap but look at the faces on the gentleman above. They seemingly appear to suddenly realize what they are about to commit to.

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Luckily there was any not ice to break through at Charlottetown harbor, located somewhere in the UK where it snows. (Wait, it now snows everywhere there.) At the Charlottetown event. 100-people sprinted into the drink and some went in for a second dunk. My personal DNA prevents me from such frivolity and I draw the line at 65-degrees ABOVE zero without a wetsuit.

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20-minutes north of me, at Hansen Dam, a small group of people braved 68-degree air temps and decided to take a dip into some 45-degree chlorinated water. OH! the humanity!

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More tomorrow qwhen the photos come in.Welcome to Coney, Island, New York - Lovin' that that FINA approved tech suit! - This quote says it all: "..."I don't know of any definitive medical studies that have been done to measure the health benefits of cold-water swimming," Dr. Alan Steinman, one of the country's foremost experts on hypothermia and cold-water survival told MSNBC.com. "

He finishes up saying that for some a quick plunge into ridiculously cold water can KILL YOU and that you should enter the water slowly and gracefully. For me that means I put my feet into the water in early June and then fully submerged by July.

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More Polar Bear swims tomorrow once more photos are posted.