The water was 24 degrees at Clearwater Beach in Springs at 8 a.m. on the morning of Dec. 13, when around a dozen people gathered to jump into Gardiner’s Bay for their weekly cold-water swim.
The group is called the Clearwater Coldwater Club, and it began meeting in September, after Suzanne Sandbank, who moved to Springs three years ago, got everybody together. Growing up, Ms. Sandbank often went to Germany — her family is German — where she learned about “cold water therapy.”
“It’s something I’ve always seen as a health benefit, but also a community benefit, building community and resilience and camaraderie,” she said. “So, I was super excited about forming a group, because we live so close to the water.”
The group, layered in parkas and robes, gathered promptly before jumping in the water, where they managed to stay for about four minutes, as the wind menaced the northern tip of Springs.
After getting out of the water that day, many spoke about how they’ll feel alert for several days afterward. Others, however, might feel sleepy, Ms. Sandbank said. Nonetheless, “it’s very exhilarating.”
She said the swimmers are respectful of one another’s limits. For instance, some just come down to watch and gather with the others. That is, not everyone gets in the water.
To warm the group up after getting out of the bay, Jordan Daniel, a frequent swimmer, had with him a box of hot chocolate, while others supplied baked goods to celebrate a swimmer’s birthday.
The cold-water swimmers plan to take part in the Polar Plunge at East Hampton’s Main Beach on New Year’s Day, but that doesn’t necessarily mark the end of their Friday swims. They plan to keep going with their weekly get-together through the winter.
“It’s hard to say what we’re looking at in January and February, but I don’t think the water gets much colder than what we’re experiencing now,” Ms. Sandbank said, meaning that if the conditions hold up, they’ll likely keep going.