Monday, January 2, 2012

1st Lobster Dip of 2012


The air temp was 43F degrees , the water temp was 45F degrees!

bikini's & mittens, only in Maine
OOB Pier

Notice the frogmen in the water!

The 1st Dippers - 24th year!
Fools Rush In . . . for a good cause!
Ha, ha, I'll bet you were expecting a recipe!  Maybe something that had cream cheese, sherry, shallots and chunks of sweet Maine lobster . . . sorry to disappoint you my friends!  This Lobster Dip is for charity!  Every year in Old Orchard Beach, Maine lots of crazy, wacky, insane, nutty people line the beach to run into the FREEZING North Atlantic.  Yesterday was no different.  Hundreds of people took the plunge, and all for a good cause, to raise money for the Special Olympics.

Yes, that's the No. Atlantic (this photo from Portland Press Herald)
I didn't want to go in the water and get frost bite etc.
Notice the 3 "bikini girls" on the left, well my husband did!  LOL!!!
Catching their breath . . .

Now if you're asking if I was one of those people who jumped in the North Atlantic, the answer is NO!  I very quietly stood on the beach and took photos!  I will admit, the thought did cross my mind to put my toe in, but I lost my husband in the crowd and didn't have anyone to hold my camera bag . . . oh well, maybe next year!

Yesterday's event raised $87,000.00 dollars, with money still coming in!

Over the years this event has become VERY organized.  There is now a portable tent hospital, and lots of  emergency medical staff as well as police and fire in the event of a problem.  When we 1st started going to these dips it was simply a small group of people who gathered on the beach with friends who ran in the water and raised some money!


Some of OOB's finest!
Finally, I'll leave you with a little video clip from the beach.  It's the first time I've recorded using my camera, so you'll have to excuse me!  Happy 2012!




25 comments:

  1. love it, love the name and the cause that ya'll raised all that money for.. Happy new year!
    hugs from Savannah, Cherry

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  2. I did expect a creamy, delicious dip. When I realized that wasn't to be, I expected to see you up to your chin in the frigid water! If we do decide on a move to New England, would we be expected to participate?

    Happy (and warm) wishes for the new year!

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  3. Happy New Year.

    Your video is great, it's the first one with your new camera? Wow.

    What a wonderful event. Funny, sitting here in the nice cozy house it doesn't look that cold. (o:

    Now I have thoughts of having a nice hot bowl of chicken noodle soup.

    Prudence is busy looking for her "bearthing" suit (like she would even put a paw in that cold ocean). But she called down to me and wanted me to say "hi" from her. Crazy teddy bear....

    Hugs

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  4. There are several of those events around here too. C.R.A.Z.Y. But fun to watch!

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  5. We have similarly crazy people up here in Canada who participate in "polar bear dips" on January 1st. "Lobster dips" is a new term for me but it's appropriate for Maine, isn't it?

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  6. Mad people do it over here too! It's not for me!!!!
    xxx

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  7. Um, no thanks. I'd rather just donate my money and let others freeze their derrieres off. (I mean, I'll bet their nipples could cut glass!) BRRRR. Much rather have the lobster dip you can eat. Happy New Year.

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  8. Hi Mary....very nice to meet you. Thanks for leaving a comment on my blog!!! Here's to a year full of possibilities....hope yours is the best!!

    Bev
    Bee Haven Acres

    PS....my son is doing our local "dip" in Feb. to benefit Special Olympics....brrrrrr!

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  9. I have friends who do this every year. Wonderful cause. I had forgotten about it. When I think I used to go in the water in the summer! Isn't much warmer then.

    Carol

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  10. Great cause! Looks like fun to watch, love the name :)
    We have those events, too, with the Polar Bears!
    Happy New Year!

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  11. We had a polar bear run at the beach on New Years day too. People are ....gutsy and a little nutty. Wishing you and your family a happy and healthy New Year!

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  12. People were doing that around here, too. Crazy!

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  13. I didn't realize it was for the Special Olympics. What a fun and crazy event. Maybe next time you will give us a recipe too!!!LOL Fun post!!

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  14. Not too bad temperature wise for what it could have been. Looks down right balmy. Happy they were able to raise so much for a good cause.

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  15. Wow, that looks like fun. Sort of scary that the frogmen are waiting there for you though. Hope they weren't needed.

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  16. Crazy New Englanders ;) I'd be up on the beach... watching... holding a mug of hot something.

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  17. Looks like a lot of fun - for both the "dippers" and the onlookers :-)

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  18. Wow-looks like fun! My cousins who live in OOB head south each winter-so Im never there then! Looks like might be worth making the trip down the coast! What fun!!

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  19. I did expect lobster but this is great! There are a couple of these swim things in the UK that started similarly. In Weymouth, a seaside town in the South West, there is a swim across the harbour every year. It's not just about taking part in this one, but winning. GG

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  20. I was going to say "Cool!" which would have been a major understatement!
    Wow. Frigid!
    That was a huge amount of dollars raised though!

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  21. Wow, I get cold just looking at this! What a great cause. So glad you shared it with us. Happy New Year my friend!!! I hope you have a wonderful year.

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I'm thrilled you've stopped by and I always enjoy your comments! Thank you!