Windermere Professional Partners

Celebrate the New Year: Join Locals For The Olalla Polar Bear Plunge on January 1, 2017!

Joyce Shipley Professional Headshot of Joyce Shipley November 17, 2016
Last updated July 2, 2019

Start the new year off with something new and exciting… by jumping into the chilly Puget Sound! Sound crazy? Maybe a little bit, but why not start a new tradition you’ll remember for a lifetime? People gather for the Polar Bear Plunge in Olalla every year to celebrate and come together to meet neighbors, and it’s a wonderful time all around.

Located just north of Gig Harbor in Kitsap County, Olalla is a community along Colvos Passage. This waterfront community has a welcoming, small-town feel, and REALTOR® Joyce Shipley highly recommends heading out for the plunge whether you’re jumping in yourself or waiting onshore with a towel at the ready!

“There is a wonderful little store there [called Al's Market] that serves great sandwiches, wine and beer,” Joyce shared. “In the summer, you can swim in the sound from a sweet beach.” (Al’s Market is located at 13965 Crescent Valley Rd SE. Check out their Facebook page here!)

The Polar Bear Plunge takes place from the bridge right by the store, making it a convenient spot to stop by at for a snack and a drink to warm up with. “[The plunge] is colder than anything,” laughs Joyce, “and the water is freezing, but brave souls make the plunge and then swim over and warm up by the bonfire. Family and friends cheer them on!”

Would you like to learn more about living in Olalla? Check out this gorgeous view lot in Olalla Bay Estates! Utilities on site, this lot is brimming with potential and ready for you to build your dream home!

To learn more, you can message REALTOR® Joyce Shipley HERE or email her at [email protected]!

Gotta love my sis up for a 54 degree swim! ⚓️MB #polarbearplunge #coldwater #lakeburton #thanksgivingtraditions

A photo posted by Cinda & Mark Boomershine (@theboomershines) on Nov 24, 2016 at 3:00pm PST