Meet the Bay Area swimmers who put your polar bear plunge to shame

"Most mornings, the Blue Boobies arrive in waves at the Albany Beach parking lot. Some days, they start as early as 6 a.m., appearing in the dark, attaching themselves to lit buoys and venturing out, barely visible in the predawn light. Then, another wave around 7 a.m., after the sun's up, and another at 8. This swim group's name is not only a reference to the blue-footed seabird but also the, well, physiological impact of prolonged cold water exposure to female bodies."

"It's also a nod to a U.K.-based open-water swim group called the Bluetit Chill Swimmers, a group that grew out of a pandemic-era shift toward open-water swimming that's become global and now has chapters around the world. But you won't find these swimmers calling themselves polar bear swimmers. That's for people who swim in truly cold water in the winter - think Lake Tahoe in the 30-something degrees -"

"Plenty of groups organize polar bear dips, where people run into the water, scream, and run back out. But to complete the polar bear challenge at the Dolphin Club is a significant achievement of endurance and grit, she explains. And while completing the Dolphin Club's Polar Bear challenge is a remarkable feat of athleticism, the swimming hub itself possesses a huge advantage over other Bay Area swimming spots: It's got a clubhouse with hot showers and a sauna right next to the water."

A female-named swim group gathers in waves at Albany Beach for predawn and morning cold-water swims, sometimes starting as early as 6 a.m. The group's name references both blue-footed seabirds and physiological effects of prolonged cold exposure on female bodies. The name also nods to a U.K. Bluetit Chill Swimmers movement that expanded globally after the pandemic. Polar bear swims and formal challenges differ, with some clubs logging long winter mileage and awarding commemorative prizes. Established clubs can offer hot showers and saunas, while smaller community groups often lack easy post-swim warming options.

Read at The Mercury News