Thousands take the Polar Bear Plunge at Barton Springs Pool

Polar Bear Plunge at Barton Springs Pool

Thousands of people jumped into Barton Springs Pool for the annual Polar Bear Plunge. It's a time-honored tradition to wash off the old and dive into the new year. FOX 7 Austin's Angela Shen tested the waters and caught up with some friend groups of different generations.

AUSTIN, Texas - Thousands of people jumped into Barton Springs Pool for the annual Polar Bear Plunge. 

It's a time-honored tradition to wash off the old and dive into the new year.

What they're saying:

FOX 7 Austin caught up with one group of ladies who were very dressed up at the pool.

Debra Flanagan, Jeannie Hopper, Rita Hersey, Martha Bauer, Alexa Riley, and Janis, who didn't want to share her last name, range in age from their 50s to their 80s. They met playing mahjong and working at a church kitchen. They also regularly come to the Polar Plunge.

"I hope that the joy that I'm feeling here today just really has a lot of people look at Barton Springs and want to keep it beautiful and natural and supported. It's the jewel of our city," Janis said.

The Save Our Springs Alliance, which organizes the event, has the same message.

"The springs are still beautiful, crystal clear, and clean because of the community effort that's been made, but the threats are still here. We're at almost record low flows, so we have to be protecting our springs and keeping people mindful of being judicious and conservative in their water use," executive director Bill Bunch said.

High schoolers Clyde Cowan, Max Neale, and Diego Shtraikh also took part in the Polar Plunge.

"I always enjoy it. It's a good way to start the morning after being up late for New Year's," Cowan said.

We asked what their goals are for the new year.

"I'm actually going to move back to Australia in June, so I'm trying to hang out with as many people as I can," Neale said.

"Trying to cut back on some sugar," Cowan said.

"I'm designing a fashion line right now, and so my goal is to get it done by the end of the school year," Shtraikh said.