For the first time in the 25 year history of the Hermosa Beach New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim, swimmers lingered in the water longer than they held back on the beach. The reason was the water was a pleasant 62 degrees while the air was a frosty 45 degrees.
Ed Kushins started the Hermosa polar bear swim in 1990 with his two young kids, Jordan and Josh. Only the kids refused to go in the water with him. The following New Year’s day he cajoled a few 16th Street neighbors into joining him with the promise of hot chocolate afterwards. Over the ensuing years, Kushins enticed more friends by adding muffins, then bagels and lox, then mimosas and then wife Terry’s famous egg and caviar torte to the post swim breakfast celebration. As the food improved, the number of swimmers increased. This year, over 50 swimmers plunged into the water in front of the 16th Street lifeguard tower, before racing back up the beach to Kushins’ 16th Street walkstreet front yard for breakfast.
This year’s breakfast included an omelette and chocolate torte by Culinary Designs chef Ryan Rondeno. Kushins is expecting an ever bigger group of swimmers next year. ER
