Over 500 attend polar bear swim

OLCOTT, N.Y. (WIVB) - The weather conditions weren't particularly appropriate for swimming Sunday, but for many dedicated dippers, it was no problem at all.

The Olcott Polar Bear Swim for Sight took place in Lake Ontario where 573 hearty souls waded into the freezing water to raise money for a good cause.

Swim for Sight Chairman Bill Clark said, "They're wading in the icy chunky water. They're laughing and they're coming up and saying, oh it was great."

The polar bear swim that turned into a polar bear wade still had a great turnout, despite the cold temperatures.

The plunge had special meaning for many of the swimmers who attended including Kyle Clark. He said, "My grandma's blind in her left eye, so it kind of hits close to home."

That wasn't the case for swimmer Curtis Rose of East Aurora who wanted to cross this kind of activity off his bucket list. "It's a once in a lifetime. Or if you come more than one year, it's more than that. But mark it off your bucket list. I jumped in the ice cold water."

For this kind of event, swimmers say there is really no proper preparation. "You just need to grin and bear it and hope for the best," Rose said.