PHOTOS: 6,000 Plunge For Special Olympics

SEASIDE HEIGHTS, NJ -- They came from Jersey City and Wayne, from Bayville and Toms River and from dozens of other towns across New Jersey.

With New Jersey State Police helicopters hovering overhead, and U.S. Coast Guard cutters and cold-water divers dressed and keeping a watchful eye, 6,052 people stripped down to shorts or bikinis and braved the 37-degree waters of the Atlantic Ocean for the 23rd annual Polar Bear Plunge in Seaside Heights.

While the water was a frostbite-inducing temperature, the air temperature was a far more mild 60 degrees at 1 p.m. when the plungers dashed into the water. Thousands of spectators, many dressed in warm coats and winter hats, cheered from the boardwalk and snapped photos as the plungers did their duty.

Some ran in once and climbed out as quickly as possible. A few stood in the water for several minutes, while other came out quickly and repeated their dip.

“It was a lot colder the second time!” a woman dressed in an aqua T-shirt bearing a photo of Olaf from the movie “Frozen” said as she tried to dry off.

The plungers raised more than $1.65 million for Special Olympics New Jersey, supporting the 25,000 athletes in New Jersey who participate in the Special Olympics, according to the Special Olympics New Jersey website.

The Seaside Heights plunge included support from NJ 101.5 DJ Big Joe Henry, who broadcast live from Seaside Heights, and former Giants punter Steve Weatherford, who not only spoke with Henry about his support and his passion for Special Olympics but who took the plunge himself.

Check out our photo gallery by Karen Wall.

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