Below-freezing temps don’t deter hundreds from First Day at the Beach in Ocean City
OCEAN CITY — Some claim First Day at the Beach and that First Dip in the Ocean is rejuvenating. Others that it provides a fresh start to the new year.
There must be something that motivates people to race into the Atlantic Ocean on a day when the thermometer read 30 degrees and the wind chill put it at less than half that.
Emilie Gutierrez of Hammonton was taking the plunge “to start the new year fresh. This is my 16th year. It used to be a hangover cure,” she said, laughing, “but I don’t know now.”
She expected the 2026 plunge to be less of a challenge because of the chillier temperatures, compared to years when it has been warm on the first day of the year.
“It’s usually easier when it’s colder outside because the temperature of the water and the cold air are similar. When it’s warmer, it’s harder to get in,” she explained. “When it’s colder, the water actually becomes a relief from the frigid air.”
Daughter Isabella Gutierrez has done the plunge for a few years with her mother, who is the one who influenced her decision to jump in the water on New Year’s Day. She agreed with her mother that it’s a good way to start the new year fresh.
Tristen Jenkins of Deptford and Tiffany Miranda of Atlantic City looked like a pair of Ewoks when approached from behind, but it turned out they were wearing matching Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer onesies.
“What started off as a once-and-done thing about two years ago has become a thing now,” Jenkins said. “We wear onesies every year. Last year we were polar bears. This year we’re reindeer. Who knows what we’ll be next year, but that’s the story.”
He noted the onesies keep them warm when they’re on the beach but they ditch them before going into the water. “We’re taking them out for one more ride, you know. The big man’s back in the North Pole but we’re still out here doing it,” he said.
Miranda said Jenkins got the two of them going.
“Last year was my first year actually doing it where we started the polar bear onesies and now it’s a tradition between him and I,” she said.
“The first time I did this I was anxious, but once you get in the water and you come out of it, you feel really rejuvenated,” Miranda said. “It feels like you literally started the year off brand new.”
The first family on the beach for First Day at the Beach arrived well before everyone else.
Jasmine Maffia said her mother started coming to the First Dip by herself and then other members of the family joined in.
“We’ve been doing this for a couple of years now,” she said. “Last year was much warmer. It is cold this year.”
She didn’t do any special planning for the extra cold. “I just take my Go-Pro and we go in and have a good time,” she said.
Teresa Share, also from Egg Harbor Township, said after watching the others, she joined in, but only up to her knees.
“I don’t do cold. I hate the cold, but for some reason I like this.”
Terri DeRozario got the younger ones started.
“This was something I wanted to do for years. I always watched other people do this and in 2012, I decided to do it by myself because no one would come with me.
“After they saw me, they’re like, ‘OK, we’ll try it.’ We’ve been doing it all together for a couple of years now.”
“I think this is the coldest one we’ve ever been to because of the wind,” DeRozario said. (The sign by the Music Pier periodically flashed the temperature and the wind chill.)
Her strategy? “You just stand in a crowd and try to stay warm before you get in the water,” she said. “The water is a big shock, then you turn around, run out and change your clothes immediately.”
Not going in the water was Carol Maffia, who was staying on the beach with grandson Wesley.
“I’m not an ocean person to begin with, so going in the water in the winter is not for me,” she said. “I absolutely love the cold, just not in the water.”
Asked what route her grandson might take in the future, participant versus spectator, she said, “He’ll go in. My son will more than likely bring him in after the crowd leaves just to put his feet in.”
Retired Ocean City firefighter Brian Green has been coming to First Day at the Beach pretty much from the beginning. He brings his family each year.
This year that included daughter Presley’s boyfriend from Newbury College. She’s a lacrosse goalie for the college and her boyfriend is a big offensive lineman for the football team.
“Beau came up to visit right after Christmas to see my daughter and he was not happy when we told him this was mandatory,” Green said, laughing. “My family’s been doing it for as long as I can remember. My kids know nothing different. They’re been doing it since they were little — as soon as they could run and tolerate the water, they were in.
“My daughter looks forward to it. My son’s brain dead just like me. We know no better,” Green said.
“I think it’s amazing,” Presley said. She acknowledged it was a lot colder this year, “but I think the adrenaline takes over and it feels good to me.”
Beau, shirtless in the wind, was good natured waiting for the plunge, but not exactly happy. “This,” he said, shaking his head and drawing laughs from the Green family, “is a bunch of B.S.”
“I think this is the coldest plunge I’ve ever attended,” Junior Miss Ocean City Arianna DiAntonio said.
“I always do this with my friend at Seaspray. This is my first one here and I’ve never done it when it’s snowing,” Little Miss Ocean City Harper Juelg added.
“This is always very memorable and I’m super excited, but I don’t know how far into the ocean I’m going to be going,” Miss Ocean City Antonella DiAntonio said.
In all the years of interviewing local pageant winners and asking what event they look forward to most in the coming year, not one has ever said, “Oh, it’s the plunge on Jan. 1.” (Most can’t wait for Night in Venice in July.)
“I think that’s just because it’s freezing and I can’t feel my fingertips,” Arianna said.
“Harper’s ready,” she added. “I’m going under,” Harper said.
True to her word, Antonella was the first to turn around in the surf after going about thigh deep.
“Honestly? Terrible,” she said about how it felt, laughing. “I didn’t make it that far in, like I said, but I’m super excited because it’s the new year and it’s officially the 2026 queens.”
“My legs are burning and I just loved it,” said her younger sister, Arianna.
But she and Harper decided the first round wasn’t enough, going in quickly with Antonella and Miss New Jersey Belle Nicholas.
“We’re going full dunk,” Harper said.
And with that, she and Arianna raced back into the water. They both fully submerged, jumped back up and ran back to the beach.
“It was cold,” a shivering Harper said. “Ice cold. Pins and needles.”
“I was a little shocked throughout my body,” Arianna said. “I was like, ‘What just happened?’”
Going “full dunk” is a theme. They all agreed it means going all-in on everything this coming year.
Nicholas did a bit of research before she joined the Ocean City queens for the first dip.
“It was much colder than I anticipated. I’ve been thinking about it a lot. I Googled the temperature of the water before I came here, but it was so fun,” she said. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience to do this as Miss New Jersey, and how special is it to do it here in Ocean City?”
Even though she did the plunge with her crown as Miss New Jersey, just like her reigning Ocean City counterparts, it may not be a once-and-done for her. “I’ll come back and do it again, probably.
“It was more fun than I thought. I was a little worried,” Nicholas admitted. “I’m the kind of person that when I get in the shower, it’s as hot as the water can go, so this isn’t really my speed, but I wound up enjoying it a lot and it was great to do it with the Ocean City queens.”
Ami Vielehr of Haddonfield and her family were among the last in. The small group walked into the surf cautiously as most people were bundled up and leaving the beach.
“It’s been 20 years, maybe 25,” she said. “This is one of the coldest.”
“We do it every year. It’s our family tradition and I love it,” she said.
Smiling, she added, “I hate it and I love it.”
– STORY and PHOTOS by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
