Fort Langley's polar bear swim remains an informal, loosely organized success story that has brought hardy swimmers to the frigid waters of Bedford Channel to embrace the cold and welcome the new year for more than a decade.

On Wednesday, New Year's Day, at noon, hundreds of swimmers turned up to take advantage of the relatively mild weather, and take the plunge.

Hundreds of swimmers braved frigid waters to begin the new year in Fort Langley

— Langley Advance Times (@LangleyTimes)

"One year we had to chip away the ice, because it was so cold," organizer Darian Kovacs recalled. "That was the worst one, because of the danger of people slipping [but] no one got hurt, it was amazing."

Kovacs  started the annual event with some friends in 2014.

"Every year's different," Kovacs observed. "It's all very organic."

"A guy brought a DJ system in the past, mayors come out, and a local MLA came out last year. We've had people bring big hot chocolate stations."

Kovacs said that every year, he thinks about making it more organized, but the thought passes.

"I always kind of have a thought of, Oh man, I should get it organized next year, or should find an official sponsor, or someone should take this over, but it's never really happened," Kovacs told the Langley Advance Times.

"We've just always let people know, and gotten the word out for friends that want to join, and anyone else who wants to join along with us," he explained.

"It's such a great way to start the new year, and it's become a nice kind of family tradition, and community tradition, where you get to see people, and, you know, good friends and family you get to start the new year with." 

That includes his own family, with Kovac's oldest son, Caedmon, among the swimmers.

"He is now 18, so he actually came back out from UBC for it, and then my 10-year-old did it last year,  [and] my nine-year-old helped with the countdown."

While there haven't been any serious talk about having someone take over organizing the event, Kovacs isn't ruling it out, either, "if like, the Rotary, or the Lions might want to take it over, and use it as like, a little fundraiser."

"If the folks at the Rotary, and the folks at the Lions, they want to take it over, and make it like, official, where you register, and they get insurance, and all that good stuff, I'd be all for that."