Coney Island Polar Bear New Year’s Day Swim 2019 in pics

After a frigid New Years Day in 2018, where temperatures in Coney Island topped out around 17 degrees Fahrenheit, January 1, 2019 was balmy by comparison. Temperatures rose to the mid-50s, and attendance of the 2019 Coney Island Polar Bear Plunge reflected the relative warmth, with around 2500 people going for a swim in the Atlantic on Tuesday afternoon, wearing bathing suits, a variety of costumes, or just their clothes. Some people even stayed in the water long enough to take part in an impromptu volleyball game that broke out. The annual plunge, which is in its 115th year, is organized by the Coney Island Polar Bear Club; the group also swims every Sunday from November to April. Nonmembers are welcome to register for the New Years Day swim, with proceeds going to area charities, including the Alliance for Coney Island and the New York Aquarium. Check out pictures from Tuesday afternoon's swim in the gallery above.