Polar Bear Swim Special Event Every year in December/January

The Polar Bear Swim is an extreme swimming challenge held every winter in San Francisco by the Dolphin Club, a nonprofit athletic organization focused on swimming and water sports. The event begins on December 21^st and ends on March 21^st, with the challenge being to clock in forty miles of swimming in the frigid Northern California ocean waters.

Most competitors begin at the club’s facilities in Aquatic Park, where there are distance markers posted for offshore buoys and checkpoints to help competitors keep count of each swim. Dolphin club members then record their mileage based on the honor system, with the most serious competitors eyeing for three possible Polar Bear Swim prizes: The First to Forty, the Fastest Forty, and the Life Begins at Forty awards. The first five members to reach forty miles receive recognition as well. If you’d like to compete in the Polar Bear Swim, the Dolphin Club is a non-exclusive group open to everyone. But be warned, it is not for the faint of heart, as water temperatures hover around fifty degrees Fahrenheit and can dip down towards forty-five in the coldest of winters. And remember, this is San Francisco, so polar bears won’t be the only predators on your mind should you navigate the seas.