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| wasting valuable cyberspace resources since June 2000 |
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| L STREET BROWNIES |
| my experience with the annual New Year's Day swim |
| THIS IS DMSJR.com's ACCOUNT OF THE ANNUAL SWIM, NOT THE OFFICIAL L STREET BROWNIES PAGE,
PLEASE SEE THE FOLLOWING DISCLAIMER FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS SITE |
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| According to local lore, the L Street Brownies is the oldest polar bear club in America. Each New Year's Day the group swims in the Boston Harbor in South Boston, MA. This page is my account of what will hopefully be my own annual participation in the tradition. The group is based, and the swimmers congregate, at the Curley Community Center, also known as the L Street Bathhouse, on Columbia Road in South Boston, MA. |
| January 1, 2004 Once again, Rena, Shep and I set out for the swim. The temperature was mild, as it was last year, but the sun was shining brightly today. This year's swim was the 100th annual, and was moved from 11 A.M. to 9:30 A.M. We arrived a short time after 9, registered at the Bathhouse, and waited for the swim to begin. Finally at 9:30 we were ushered outside along with a large group of excited people, only to find the beach relatively empty. Another group had apparently already entered the water. Gone were the cameras, media, and most of the crowd of onlookers. They could be seen moving from the beach towards the street. Only a group of approximately 50 confused, partially dressed would- be swimmers remained. I am not sure why we missed being with the first group in the water, but it was a major disappointment. We decided against swimming, mainly b/c the camaraderie of the group and support of the bystanders was missing. Perhaps the larger than expected turnout changed the logistics, or maybe the early time threw us off, the results were definitely a disappointment for us. Judging by the stories on the local television stations, the swim was a great time for those who did participate, and hopefully next year we will not be left behind. |
| January 1, 2003 With the sky overcast, the air a balmy 42 degrees and the water a tropical 40 degrees, the conditions are right for a swim. Rena Gyftopoulos, David Shepherd and I go for a quick dip... |
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| gearing up to freeze | lined up for the mad dash to the water |
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| in the water Rena's festive tiara never comes off of her head! |
realizing just how cold it is |
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| one more photo to prove we did it note the festive fireboat in the background |
with Rena Gyftopoulos and David Shepherd |
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| (not)personalized membership card | (not)personalized certificate of achievment |
| *we can be seen running into the water on the news clip from New England Cable News if watched in slow motion **thanks to Michelle Blair for playing photographer ***this whole thing was ironic for me b/c although I do frequent this beach, I don't even go in the water in the summer ****I do indeed realize how visually disturbing a shirtless Scully is |
