For more news and videos visit ➡ http://english.ntdtv.com<br />Follow us on Twitter ➡ http://twitter.com/NTDTelevision<br />Add us on Facebook ➡ http://on.fb.me/s5KV2C<br /><br />Over one thousand brave swimmers take to the winter waves at Coney Island Beach, to ring in 2012 with good intentions and a cold splash. But what would real polar bears think of all this?<br /><br />More than 1,000 revelers gathered on Coney Island Beach in New York on Sunday to participate in the annual New Year's Day swim.<br /><br />Enthusiasts in bathing suits braved the cold and charged to the water at exactly 1:00 p.m. local time (1800 GMT).<br /><br />For most participants the cold splash in the sea on the first day of the year meant a refreshing start.<br /><br />[Adam Mathews, Polar Bear Plunge Participant]:<br />"Well, it seemed like the best way to start the new year. Just one big awakening."<br /><br />The temperature hovering around 48 degrees Fahrenheit (8 degrees Celsius) didn't seem to bother most who splashed around for many minutes inside the water.<br /><br />Michael Pastine was one of them.<br /><br />[Michael Pastine, Polar Bear Plunge Participant]:<br />"How was the water? It was very cold. I'd say that it's colder this year than last year, but it's a nice sunny day though, so pretty cool." <br /><br />The annual event was hosted by The Coney Island Polar Bear Club—the oldest winter bathing organization in the United States, founded in 1903.<br /><br />Members of the club come together every Sunday from November to April, to swim in the Atlantic Ocean.<br /><br />The event is a fundraiser for the charitable organization "Camp Sunshine", that supports children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.<br /><br />According to the club, last years swim had close to 1500 participants, 7500 onlookers and raised almost $50,000 USD.<br /><br />Similar new year's day events took place throughout the country in places like Chicago, Boston and Seattle.
