The annual Vancouver Polar Bear Swim is one of the largest and oldest polar bear swims in the world
So right now we are at English Bay, where the annual Polar Bear Swim is and it's crazy
It's -- every year, this event is getting bigger and bigger and guys check it out! It's crazy.
It's actually become a big social event now
Yeah
Look at that
Its initial swim was in 1920
The swim has grown from around ten swimmers in that year to the new record of over 3,000 participants for 2018
The waters in Vancouver's English Bay can be as cold as 3 degrees Celsius on January 1st
But that hasn't stopped thousands of people from getting to the water to mark the New Year
Today the Vancouver park board will host the 99th edition of its Polar Bear Swim
Thousands of participants run down the beach and splash their way into the water to mark the beginning of the new year
Many dress up for the occasion
It's an event where everybody is incredibly happy
I've never been to an event where I've seen more smiles, more high-fives than a Polar Bear Swim
Enjoy!