Polar Bear Dip 2011

Participants jump for joy after taking part in the Chill.

Toronto has at least two Polar Bear Dips going on New Year's Day January 1, 2011 - 12 noon at Sunnyside Beach (Habitat for Humanity) and 1:30pm at Ashbridges Bay (Sears Great Canadian Chill) and the waters of Lake Ontario are ready for the plunge. Temperatures are expected above the freezing mark so we may only have to watch for rain - you don't want to get wet before the dip! Update: It was both foggy and rainy!

The plunge into Lake Ontario at Sunnyside Beach.

Bring your costumes, thongs and footwear then some warm clothes for afterwards.

The blue hair group wait for the Dip.

The Sears Great Canadian Chill had a large heated tent with a DJ and a costume contest - thermometer man was a little chilly; he had blue balls.

Costume contest including the Santas and Heidi.

See more of my pictures of the Dip and the Chill after the jump.

The Stanley Cup makes it into the water.

Heidi.

Cape Cod shrinkage.

The first group lines up at the Chill.

And in they go at Ashbridges Bay.

The mass plunge at Sunnyside Beach.

Victory.

Wet Elvis.

The Blues are ready.

Santa and his helpers.

Jump in.

Child cancer survivor Tobin Haas makes a inspiring speech at the Sears Chill.

See more lots more photos of the 2011 fun on my earlier post here.

You can also check out my 2010 photos from the Sunnyside Habitat for Humanity Polar Bear Dip.

Toronto Skyline - Where is the colour?

The City's skyline stands tall above the waters of Lake Ontario, but there is not much colour in the view. Most of the dominant colours are the blue, green and concrete grey.

 I think the skyline should be more like a Rubiks Cube mixture of colours. Here is a little more grey from the airshow (CIAS) down at the lake front.

Birdie Num Nums

Not wanting to join the immense crowds flooding into the malls and stores for all manner of Boxing Day sales  (and Boxing Week sales) we decide instead to check out nature and head down to the waters of Lake Ontario. Only birds are swimming in the lakes' cold water which will soon be full of Polar Bear dippers.

I think this is some kind of curious, wingless rodent bird. Polly wants a peanut.