This photograph printed in the November 7, 1986 edition of The Franklin Journal shows the original members of the Farmington Polar Bear club. Pictured from left are John Gensel, William “Bill” Marceau and Dr. Gerald Tinguely. File photo
INDUSTRY — A snow storm accompanied by blustery winds greeted participants in the annual Farmington Polar Bear club dip at Clearwater Lake this year.
Since its first dip in October of 1986, the club has never had to cancel.
“Some years the weather was a lot worse,” founding member William “Bill” Marceau said during a recent phone interview. “This year had the least attendance. I think COVID-19 was an issue.”
John Gensel, Dr. Gerald Tinguely and Marceau formed the club with the intention of holding a monthly baptism by ice, October through April, according to a newspaper article from November 1986. The article was one of several in a scrapbook created by Warren Bogardus who joined the club a month after that first dip.
The club ballooned to 10 in December 1986 with the first two women, according to another article in the scrapbook.
For three years monthly dips were held but after that only a few dips a year happened, entries in the scrapbook noted.
“I initiated the club,” Marceau said. “I always wanted to do a winter dip. I asked Gerald and he said yes. It elaborated from there.”
Over the years the club has raised money and awareness for various local projects and organizations.
A local Olympic-sized swimming pool was the first effort the club promoted.
On December 3, 1989, 18 people raised $1,507 for Operation Santa Claus with the Polar Bear dip. There was a foot of new snow, the air temperature was in the low-20s, the wind chill was -3 degrees and there was 1.5 inches of ice on the lake, according to articles kept in the scrapbook.
“We’ve raised money for a variety of things,” Marceau said. “Cancer Society, the food bank, the Fitness Center.”
Scrapbook articles noted the February 1987 dip was almost canceled before a long-enough chain saw blade was found to cut through the 3-foot thick ice. In January and December of 1988, the ice was about 1.5 feet thick according to the scrapbook.
On January 12,1992, the club held a dip as part of the Farmington Winter Games.
Since 1989, the annual dip has been held on Chester Greenwood Day scrapbook entries noted and 1994 was the first year with only one dip.
William “Bill” Marceau gives a thumbs up after the annual Polar Bear dip held Dec. 5 at Clearwater Lake in Industry. Marceau, one of the original members of the Farmington chapter of the club, suggested the idea to his friend Dr. Gerald Tinguely in 1986. Scott Landry
In 1995, six Cape Cod Hill School students were among the 19 participants and the wind chill was -15 degrees, according to the scrapbook.
This group photo was taken at the 20th anniversary of the Farmington chapter of the Polar Bear club’s annual dip in Clearwater Lake in Industry. Submitted photo
“A few years Industry emergency services were there,” Marceau said. “They were concerned about hypothermia, came with life preservers.”
In 1996, New England Outdoors columnist Michael Lanza wrote about his experience participating in the dip that year. His article was printed in a Connecticut newspaper and a copy kept in the scrapbook. 30 people participated that year.
“Just one major question: Why?” he asked readers.
“We’ve had an average of about 35, typically,” Marceau said. “Rev. Dick Waddell, who is in his 80s, has been going in frequently although not this year.”
Several husband and wife teams and generational teams have participated.
“I’ve always joked, ‘We’ve always been covered.’,” Marceau quipped. “We’ve had ministers, clinical psychologists, doctors, physical therapists, undertakers and foresters participate.”
He told of several Polar Bear club members attending Bogardus’ funeral wearing Polar Bear club sweatshirts. Marceau and Tinguely are the only original members still in the area.
Marceau spoke of the time a person not familiar with the dip wanted to swim to the breakwater and back.
“I said that’s not doable,” he added.
The annual Polar Bear dip in Clearwater Lake in Industry was held Dec. 5 this year. Started in 1986, the annual dips have been held on Chester Greenwood Day since 1989. Scott Landry
“Another time a gal went in the water. They had just put in a new boat ramp using crushed rock,” Marceau said. “When she got out, she sat in my truck to get warm. I noticed there was blood on the floor. She had to have seven stitches in her foot. It’s so cold when you come out, you don’t feel (anything).”
Some years when dips were held all winter, the ice that had to be removed became seats for the dippers, he noted.
“My favorite thing is the years ice freezes in the cove,” Marceau said. “I like to dive under the ice and break it out with my hand, then swim back. It can be dangerous.”
This group photo was taken prior to the 30th anniversary dip of the Farmington chapter of the Polar Bear club. Submitted photo
Those who have been doing this for years make it look easy, Marceau said.
“People would see Warren jumping around, swimming for a long time and think there was nothing to it,” he said. “You do have to be serious about it. It can be life threatening if you aren’t careful.”
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