Lubricated by liquid refreshment, several of the party jumped off the seawall into the ice-choked Bering Sea during the wee hours. The following year, Murphy recreated the swim as an annual event from the East End beach, and Rotary has organized it since 1990. Typically, a hundred or more Nomeites plunge into the frigid water each year. In its early years, the swim occurred on Memorial Day regardless of ice conditions. For that reason, Rotary began postponing the the swim until the ocean was sufficiently free of ice to be safe, and it is now an event of the town's Midnight Sun Festival.
All swimmers receive an official certificate, free of charge.
Also offering to swim for pledges are Superior Court Judge Ben Esch, Norton Sound Health Corporation's Joe Cladouhos, and Court Clerk Kirk Albrecht. This year, Nome Rotary is reviving the costume contest, and we will also have patches and T-shirts for sale. Chair for the event is Mary Greaves.