Brave souls prepare to Exercise Like the Eskimos Sunday
Depending on the region you’re in, you may exclaim “Alaapaa!” or “Ikkii!”, loosely translated from the Eskimo-Aleut languages, commonly associated with regions of Alaska, Greenland or the Canadian Arctic, to “Wow, that’s cold!” But there’s no doubt that the exclamation, however it’s worded, will be on the lips of hundreds of individuals, braving the chilly Atlantic Ocean this weekend. The Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce is once again “freezin’ for a reason,” as New Year’s Day plays host to the 16th Annual Leo Brady Exercise like the Eskimos in downtown Bethany Beach.
At noon on Sunday, Jan. 1, participants will splash into the icy Atlantic on Bethany Beach, at the boardwalk bandstand, welcoming in a New Year and shaking off the previous evening’s festivities.
The tradition began 16 years ago, as the brain child of the late Leo Brady, a U.S. Army veteran, known for his generous contributions throughout the community. Now in its 16th year, and the third one since Brady passed away, hundreds of participants will continue the tradition, washing away the past and starting their resolutions with a clean and fresh start.
“With the holiday falling on a weekend,” said Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce operations and events manager Helen Barnaba, “and some nice weather projected in the forecast, we should have a huge crowd. The number of participants has been climbing since the start, and people are very enthusiastic about it. Teams like Cottage Cafe return each year with a lot of registrants, and it’s always great to see everyone.”
Registration will continue online through 3 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 30, at www.bethany-fenwick.org. Registration and check-in can be done in person until 6 p.m. on Dec. 30, by stopping into the chamber, located at 36912 Coastal Highway in Fenwick Island. There will be no check-in available on Saturday, Dec. 31. Day-of check-in and registration will run from 10 a.m. until 11:45 a.m. at the bandstand on the Bethany Beach Boardwalk. Participants can register as individuals or as a one of three categories of teams - commercial team, non-commercial team or student team. The team with the most members will win the coveted Iceberg Trophy.
In recent years, the number of “eskimos” has been in the hundreds, and with temperatures set in the mid 50’s, participation is expected to top 500. Spectators are invited to watch from the beach and the boardwalk, as well. “It’s a great way to start off the day, and the year,” said Barnaba.
