By: UAS Whalesong

The clouds were low and Auke Bay was calm when 50 brave souls jumped into its 38.5 F
water on Feb. 14 for the 28th annual UAS Polar Plunge.
For some, it was another adventure at their new university.
“This is my first semester here, so goin’ full in,” said Julia Cody of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Heading up the ramp to hot chocolate and soup, she said she was glad she took the plunge.
“Now I have a story to tell, but my whole body hurts now, and I’m very cold,” Cody said.
Jack Brennell grew up in Juneau and has experienced its waters before, but “officially,” he
said, this was his first Polar Plunge.
“Just another day, just another day,” Brennell quipped. “It’s fun to be cold, but now it’s fun to be warm.”

Nearby, two portable hot tubs were quickly filled with shivering jumpers, including Anteon
Barnette of Newark, New Jersey, and Logan Johnson, of Helena, Montana. Dressed in a
white dress shirt and vest, Johnson said it was the “silliness with the suit” that drove him off
the dock. Barnette said he jumped just for fun.
During the Plunge, two Capital City Fire and Rescue officers were in the water, with others on the dock in case any jumpers had difficulty.
Juneau student Lincoln Razor only complained about his feet. “I’m freezing, my hair’s cold,
and my feet suck because I decided not to wear slides, but overall, it’s a great experience,” he said.

The 2026 Polar Plunge was Emily Grab’s second. The UAS Resident Advisor and a
Whalesong reporter helped set up the 2025 and 2026 events. “It’s a UAS tradition, and it feels nice after. Your adrenaline kind of kicks in, and you just want to get out!”
The icy Auke Bay waters also drew in Dawson Weister, a history major from Honolulu,
Hawaii. He said he took the plunge for the bonding experience with his friends.
“We got colder and closer together,” he said.
Polar Plunge is part of the UAS Annual Winterfest, held every February.