New and Old Traditions help start the New Year in the Panhandle: The 'Penguin' and 'Peli
(WEAR) - In Santa Rosa County, brave swimmers took the "Penguin Plunge" in Navarre. And several others jumped in at the fishing pier in the "Pelican Plunge." For many, it's an annual tradition, and for others, it's the start of a tradition! "It's crazy and fun and brings in the New Year," Nicole Embrey said. Dozens of people around Northwest Florida took a dip in the chilly waters of the Gulf of Mexico Friday. Some even thought the water was a little warm. "The water was warm. I wanted to turn back, but it did get warmer," Connor Gillis said. The Peguin Plunge has been around for several years. "Today is our 7th annual Peguin Plunge at Juana. We have a paddle board race as you can see," said Kim Hunderson, the executive director of Fisher House. "In an hour we'll have about 400 people jump into the water to start their new years off. All proceeds go to the Fisher House which provides a home away from home for military families when someone is in the hospital or being treated locally. As for the Pelican Plunge, it's their first event. Organizer Scott Rayner said, "This is the first Pelican Plunge we're having. All proceeds go to Bright Skies which is a foundation for families going through depression, dementia, and Parkinson. All in all, people had a fun filled morning bringing in the New Year with new and old traditions. Pete Buzzellli said, "Water is a little rough today, but everyone is out having fun." "It's like washing away 2015 and bringing in 2016," Cassandra York said.