COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho – The annual polar plunge seems to attract two types of people: those who are new to the cold water and enjoy the company of hundreds of people going in with them, and those who are used to it and enjoy the challenge that it poses.
One man who falls into the second category is Coeur d’Alene resident David Dunn, who has been getting into frigid water for a long time. “I’m originally from the Midwest, North Dakota, been jumping in ice lakes all my life, so this is nothing new to me. It takes care of the body, it takes care of a lot of the aches and pains, so I really enjoy it,” Dunn said.
The 2024 polar plunge in Lake Coeur d’Alene saw nearly 1,000 people brave the waters to ring in the new year. North Idaho resident Rob Root has a group of friends who have been plunging since 2009 and make it a weekly occurrence. His wife, Tiffany, tells us why he keeps coming back to jump in. “Every Sunday he comes out and he says he just feels so good. He’s just happy, alive, it makes his body feel good, it’s good for cardiovascular health,” Root said.
The reasons behind why one plunges are many, but the theme throughout them all is starting the new year off with a challenge. This rings true even if you are coming from across the country to do it, like Sergiu Jurca, who is in town from the East Coast but still made his way into the lake. “We’re from Charlotte, North Carolina, me and my wife. We came to visit, we heard about the polar plunge, we could not say no. It’s the best way to start the year. If you’re not doing something crazy, then you’re not starting the year right,” Jurca said.
