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Coney Island polar bears, 1/3

Last month I accompanied Yw to Coney Island. A friend of hers was creating a walking tour of the area and had asked some friends to be guinea pigs for a dry run. She invited me to join.

I woke to a day that was grey and overcast and cold. I checked the morning forecast and had second thoughts. There was a chance of rain or snow. I called Yw to ask if the tour was still on. She said it was and we made plans to meet on a subway platform so that we could ride together to the last stop.

We were early. We waited in a coffee shop by the subway station to stay warm. Some people started gathering and then we were on our way. The tour was insightful if a bit disoragnized; it was their first dry run and they were still working out the kinks. The tour ran down Surf Avenue to the Cyclone and then cut to the boardwalk. As we walked, someone mentioned the Coney Island Polar Bear club and noted that they usually swam that afternoon. We quickened our pace.

As we approached the beach we could see figures bobbing in the distance. I ran across the sand and pulled out my camera. My fingers froze. The polar bears dived into the water.