Surf City Splash returns for brave souls in Huntington Beach on New Year’s Day
Their event draws a unique type of people.
Organizers of the Surf City Splash — the annual plunge into the ice-cold Pacific Ocean in Huntington Beach to kick off the New Year — are just hoping for optimal conditions as the 24th annual splash takes place Monday at high noon.
“It’s a great way to kick off the year,” said George Manyak, an events coordinator with the North Orange County chapter of nonprofit Surfrider Foundation.
Manyak planned out this year’s Surf City Splash with his wife, Laura. This is the fourth year the event benefits the local chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, and none of the previous three years have gone particularly smoothly.
The pandemic forced a “virtual splash” in 2021, while a sewage spill canceled the 2022 splash. Last January, nearly 300 ocean dippers had to deal with high winds.
As of late Wednesday afternoon, this year’s forecast is for cloudy conditions on New Year’s Day. The National Weather Service has put out a high surf advisory through Saturday, though, lending to continued unpredictability. Participants Monday will likely find the ocean to be very cold: The average water temperature at Huntington Beach in January ranges from 58 to 62 degrees.
“It’s always an adventure here,” said KC Fockler, past chair and currently the education program coordinator for the north Orange County chapter, with a laugh. “This is our fourth year running it, and we have not had a clean event yet. Hopefully, this is the year. The good news is, the Huntington Beach lifeguards will be there. We will have water safety.”
The Surf City Splash serves as the big fundraiser of the year for the chapter, and there is currently an online silent auction with myriad items up for bid.
Money raised will go toward Surfrider programs like developing ocean-friendly gardens and restaurants, an ocean water-testing program and a cigarette-butt recycling program, Manyak said.
The schedule for Monday also includes a special breakfast from Zack’s, which will be served from 8 a.m. until noon. The blowing of the Hawaiian Pu will take place at 9 a.m. at the amphitheater at Pier Plaza, followed by various announcements and appearances by city officials and the Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce.
There will also be live raffle and a costume contest with awards given, but the splash itself takes place at 12 p.m.
“We’ve really had some great participation from restaurants and retailers,” Manyak said. “It’s probably going to be our biggest and best ever, as far as items coming from local businesses and others. We’re also going to have a vendor fair going on. [Local event planner] Jodi McKay and her group have put together like 40 vendors at Pier Plaza over the weekend, and they’re going to help donate and promote as well. We’re pretty happy about that partnership.”
Fockler said that Yokohama Tire is the primary sponsor of the event this year after a $10,000 donation.
To register for the Surf City Splash, visit volunteer.surfrider.org/opportunities/MYA0v2vDfv.
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