Right here on the Upper Cape there is a group who suit up for 30 to 40 minutes of open water ocean swimming, year-round.

If you live near a body of water in the northern latitudes, you likely have heard of your local polar bear club — usually made up of a group of hearty swimmers who take part in cold water swimming.

Dr. Mark Harper recalls his first cold-water swim in the south of England 20 years ago. It was August, but the initial jolt from the plunge took his breath away. The shock to his system lasted a ...

Dr. Mark Harper recalls his first cold-water swim in the south of England 20 years ago. It was August, but the initial jolt from the plunge took his breath away. The shock to his system lasted a ...

Canda-Leigh Habonimana takes a dip in the waters of Gatineau Park’s Meech Lake in Chelsea, Quebec, during a polar bear plunge on New Year’s Day. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press files) Dr. Mark Harper ...

Swimmers set to brave the icy waters of the Irish Sea and North Atlantic Ocean to mark the start of 2026 should be aware of the potential dangers involved, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution ...

WHAT: Swim Across America – Long Island Sound is one of the nation’s largest annual open water charity swimming events. This ...

FILE - Revelers enter the cold water during the annual Polar Bear Plunge on New Year's Day, Jan. 1, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki, file) (Andres Kudacki ...

Dr. Mark Harper recalls his first cold-water swim in the south of England 20 years ago. It was August, but the initial jolt from the plunge took his breath away. The shock to his system lasted a ...