The Second Annual Frozen Clam New Year's Day Plunge at Goddard Park beach attracted both swimmers and spectators. 

The plunge was a benefit organized by Ryan McGowan and Laidback Fitness for Rhode Island Mentoring Partnership.

Four EGHS freshman were there to take the plunge – Ben Markstone, Katie Hollingsworth, Lauren Keenan, and Austin Sullivan. They blamed Hollingsworth, who said she heard about it a couple weeks ago and then managed to convince the others.

East Greenwich resident Tom Bacon said he'd come out after reading about it on EG Patch: "I thought I'd come down and watch all the crazy people do this." 

And a few dozen "crazy people" (ok, I was one of them) did take the plunge.

The water wasn't freezing. It wasn't quite warm, either. What it was, was exhilarating. Absolutely exhilarating.