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."

"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 or for members of San Francisco's illustrious Dolphin Club participating in its polar bear challenge to swim 40 miles in the bay between Dec. 21 and March 21. There, swimmers assiduously track their mileage on logs at the club, and those who complete the challenge receive commemorative marble blocks."

Groups of open-water swimmers meet early at Albany Beach in coordinated waves, with some arriving as early as 6 a.m. The Blue Boobies name references both the blue-footed seabird and physiological effects of prolonged cold water on female bodies, and nods to the U.K. Bluetit Chill Swimmers that expanded after the pandemic. Polar bear swimmers who tackle truly frigid winter waters engage in more extreme practices, exemplified by San Francisco’s Dolphin Club polar bear challenge that requires swimming 40 miles in the bay between Dec. 21 and March 21. The Dolphin Club supports participants with a clubhouse offering hot showers and a sauna.

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