Hundreds take the plunge into Lake Michigan at Bradford Beach for annual New Year’s Day celebration

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – Hundreds of people continued a New Year’s Day tradition by plunging into Lake Michigan at Milwaukee’s Bradford Beach on Friday, January 1.

“It feels exhilarating,” Nora Repins said.

For Repins, it was her first time.

“You think I’m not going to do this, I can’t do this,” she said.

Heather Prach also made her debut plunge.

“Part of being in comradery and whatever and you go in and then you’re like heck yeah,” Prach said.

Both Repins and Prach went into the water early than the official jump at noon to try to avoid the crowds.

“If you don’t do it, you regret it later on in the year,” Repins said.