A slow and steady stream of small groups of people made the trip to Alouette Lake Friday afternoon to take the New Year’s Day plunge.
For around 45 minutes, around the noon hour on Friday, about 10 small groups of people walked down to the lake from the beach parking lot in Golden Ears Provincial Park, carrying towels and warm clothing as they prepared themselves to brave the cold water.
The average temperature of the Alouette Lake reservoir during the winter months, according to B.C. Hydro, is 5 degrees Celsius.
“It’s cold,” screamed Lylah Nicholson, 8, of Pitt Meadows after running in up to her knees with her mother Brenda.
Matt Adams of Maple Ridge described the water as “chilly” after taking the plunge for the very first time.
Kelsey Lucente, who took the plunge with Adams, said the water wasn’t bad, although she wasn’t able to feel her toes, as she dried herself off with a towel.
This was the third year of what is now a tradition for a group of friends from New Westminster and Coquitlam.
And, after running into the lake, Michael Bezan proposed to his girlfriend Samantha Lee.
READ MORE: No group polar dip to start 2021
This was also the first ever plunge for Harlow Neufeld, 8, of Maple Ridge, whose New Year’s resolution is to keep her room clean.
Instead of resolutions, though, her family prefers to find things that they are grateful for.
“It’s a way to look back and say I’m really grateful I have a job, I got to work through the pandemic. I have a house with people that I love and I have a yard and I can be outside. So despite the year that was 2020, there’s still lots to be grateful for,” said Rachel Neufeld.
Including spending time with family, continued Harlow.
“That’s the best part of 2020, was extra time with family,” her father Ryan Neufeld added.
cflanagan@mapleridgenews.com
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