Huge crowds show up for some polar bear swims. Look at the excitement as these participants race toward the Hague for a New Year’s Dive. The photographer wrote, “In the Netherlands the 1st of January is traditionally celebrated with a new year’s dive (Nieuwjaarsduik). No matter how cold it is, at least 25.000 people plunge into the freezing water each January. There are over 60 locations in the Netherlands where you can jump into the sea or a lake. The largest dive is held at the beach of Scheveningen, where well over 10,000 people plunge into the sea each year. The number of people actually wanting to participate exceeded 14,000. This was due to the relative warm weather (8 degrees Celsius), compared to other years. The Dutch tradition started in 1960 in Zandvoort when a swim club decided to start the year fresh with a plunge in the sea. The new year’s dive received national attention after a big soup brand decided to sponsor it. From that moment on, the amount of participants and locations has increased every year.”