Colin Mather, who spent his boyhood in Copenhagen, and thus was familiar with the Scandinavians’ cold water rituals, may have been the first to plunge into the Atlantic Ocean here on New Year’s Day. It was in 1999, the buoyant Wainscott Seafood Shop’s owner said in his upstairs office the other day.
“One of your photographers happened to be at the Beach Lane road-end when we did it. That photo was in your paper, though you might not recognize me — I had hair then.”
The Ryans, father and son, John Sr. and Jr., plunged with Mather in 2000, and, soon after the Ryans followed Mather’s lead, initially in Amagansett before they found a home at East Hampton Village’s Main Beach, where under the aegis of the East Hampton Hurricanes youth swim team a record-breaking crowd of more than 500 plunged in shirtsleeve weather last year, their entry fees benefiting East Hampton’s food pantries.
Since beginning the tradition, Mather has continued to plunge on New Year’s Day, jogging the 1.6 miles to the ocean at the end of Beach Lane with whoever shows up at his Route 27 shop by 1:50 p.m. But his plunges, which of late have benefited the Sag Harbor Food Pantry, have been more low-key than those at Main Beach.
This year, however, he’s going big, as it were. “A very good friend of mine, James Burns, a volunteer with the Sag Harbor Food Pantry, gave me the idea about taking the next step. So, we met with Big John [Ryan] and asked his advice, and after meeting with the assistant principal at Pierson [Sag Harbor] High School, we got a beanie logo design contest going among the students,” Mather said, “and a nice anonymous food pantry volunteer paid for the 250 hats. So, for your $25 entry fee you get a hat with a logo designed by Alexander Hepburn, hot chocolate at the beach, and, if you come back to the shop afterward, clam chowder, goodies from Goldberg’s, a Blue Duck cake, and some Molly’s Muchies cookies — a wonderful spread.”
Last year’s Wainscott plunge drew “about 100,” he said, “and there are always a lot of onlookers, some of them from Toni Ross’s — she always has a party at her house on New Year’s Day. “
While he doesn’t go to the Main Beach plunge, Mather donates “a big pot of soup” to it. Since Main Beach’s starting time is at 1 p.m. and Mather’s starts at 2:30, particularly fervid Main Beach plungers have the chance to double dip. East Hampton Village Ocean Rescue squad members on paddleboards oversee both events.
Asked what he loved about plunging, the Seafood Shop’s owner said, with a broad smile, “It is good for your health. I take maybe two warm showers a year, the rest are cold showers — especially if I have aches and pains. I know it’s hard, especially in the winter. I do some cat stretches, some squats, and come out feeling like a million bucks. After that, you do not need coffee — you’re set for the day.”
“Even though I’m in the fish business,” he continued, “I’m not particularly a morning person, but I find cold showers are psychologically beneficial too. If I’m feeling blue when I get in, I feel great when I get out.”
“I guess it’s similar to electric shock treatments,” he said with a laugh.
“I never thought that plunging would have become as popular as it has. Some of my customers start asking about it in September. It’s become a ritual for me too, a rite of passage into the new year.”
Prospective plungers can register for Mather’s plunge at sagharborfoodpantry.org. The $25 donations are tax-deductible.