Brr! Doctors call temps dangerously cold, order cancellation of Maryland polar bear plunge
By APSunday, January 31, 2010
Md. polar bear plunge canceled due to extreme cold
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — It was too cold even for some polar bears on Saturday.
The second of two scheduled dips in the water at the 14th annual Polar Bear Plunge in Annapolis, Md. was canceled on doctors’ orders.
The air temperature was 23 degrees and the Chesapeake Bay was 36 degrees when crowds took a dip in the water around 1 p.m. Among the participants was Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco. He says the frigid water “took my breath away.”
Organizers estimated that as many as 15,000 people got in the water in the event, which raises money for the Maryland Special Olympics.
Several people had to be treated for hypothermia after the first plunge and doctors monitoring the event advised organizers to cancel the second plunge.
Information from: The Baltimore Sun, www.baltimoresun.com
