Have you heard about the Club or participated in a New Year's Day swim and want to give it another try?

We welcome guests to join us for one of our regular Sunday 1:00 pm swims, any Sunday between November and April. Guests are permitted to join us for two swims free of charge. If you decide this is for you and want to continue towards becoming a member, you can then apply for membership. If not, fine, we hope you had a great time,

To attend, show up any sunday between November and April at the New York Aquarium Education Hall, on the Boardwalk at West 8th Street by 12:30 pm. Bring your bathing suit (duh), a towel and surf boots or an extra pair of sneakers (you really need something to protect and insulate your feet.) and some warm clothes. We also recommend you bring a friend should you need assistance or want your picture taken on the beach. You will be assigned a "buddy" to swim with and must obey all safety precautions prescribed by the Club.

All guests are required to sign a liability waiver.

To Become a Member

Have you decided this really is for you?

After completing your two guest swims you have a pretty good idea of what winter bathing is all about. You hopefully have a good sense of what we are like as an organization, what kind of people we are and share the passion for the frigid brine. Upon completion of two guest swims, you may apply for full membership.

The privileges of membership:

• Participation in our weekly swims and other Club activities
• Use of our changing facilities
• Full voting rights
• The right to own and wear the official Club patch
• Bragging rights to your wimp friends

The responsibilities of membership:

• Adherence to our by-laws and all Club rules
• Payment of annual dues
• Assistance at all Club functions and activities
• Attend at least 4 swims per season to maintain membership
• Attend membership meetings

Requirements for membership:

• Complete membership application
• Pay a $25 application fee (non-refundable)
• Participate in 12 swims within a single season between November and April (Your 2 guests swims will count toward these 12 swims.)
• Approval by the membership. All new members must be voted in by a majority of the membership. Participating in the required 12 swims does not automatically entitle one to membership.
• Payment of annual dues upon approval by the membership to full member status

While the Coney Island Polar Bear Club has a policy of non-discrimation, we do assess a prospective member's contribution to Club activites and adherence to Club rules and safety procedures. We may also limit membership to comply with Fire Department regulations regarding the use of our changing facilities and/or the Executive Committee's assessment of the manageability of Club activites from an insurance and safety perspective.