James Normington stood in the sand, shivering.

“I don’t want to do it,” the 13-year-old Coeur d’Alene resident said. “I’m being forced.”

“As is the way with most traditions,” James’ dad, Spencer Normington, said with a chuckle.

The family eyed the frigid lake, waiting with the crowd on Sanders Beach for the 17th year of their traditional plunge. Along with hundreds of others, the Normingtons planned to leap into Lake Coeur d’Alene to ring in the new year in a freeze that dates back to the 1970s.

“The proper way to plunge is to wade in, dunk, and casually stroll out,” Spencer said. “There is a way to do this. We climitize early without our shirts.”

Three generations of Normingtons planned to take the plunge this year. Spencer’s mom, Valerie Tiffany, promised she’d jump with the rest of her family.

“I’m turning 64 this year,” Tiffany said. “I always said I’d do the plunge. I’m going in today.”

The family cheered as the clock ticked toward noon.

Teenagers poured onto the beach, whooping in the rain. Grandmothers held babies wrapped in wool blankets while people took off their shoes and put on their viking hats. It’s important to plunge with ferocity.

Two cardiologists pumped up for the big plunge. Dr. Don Chilson of Coeur d’Alene and Dr. Hal Goldberg of Spokane unpacked a towel and an AED machine from their bag. The doctors have been friends for 35 years and often do triathlons together.

“We’re doing it to test the heart,” Goldberg said.

“An AED is not on too many checklists,” Susi Chilson said, smiling while wearing a fantastic puffy purple onesie complete with faux fur. “Usually you’ve got hot cocoa. Check. Hand warmers. Check. But not too many people bring an AED.”

“The towel goes on top because you gotta be dry before you use one of these,” Goldberg said, cracking a big smile.

The crowd hummed as excitement grew for the noon plunge. The water was 42 degrees. The air a balmy 43.

“My kiddos are here to be indoctrinated in the tradition,” Theresa Whitlock-Wild of Coeur d’Alene said. “It is so fun. It’s my favorite. In with the new and out with the old, wash it all away.”

Whitlock-Wild wore a fuzzy rainbow onesie with a giant pink heart and a celebratory New Year’s headband. She takes the plunge every year to celebrate her birthday.

“I’m a new year’s baby,” Whitlock-Wild said, celebrating with her friend, Ken Martin, who was also bedecked in festive attire.

“We met at the plunge last year,” Martin said.

Beneath the naked cottonwoods the Coeur d’Alene Roller Derby team gave away free hot cocoa and apple cider to keep soon-to-be plungers toasty.

Coach “Grimm’s Tail #398” helped her team pour cocoa. She hoped to find a few hardy souls in the crowd to join her team.

“New fresh meat start Jan. 12 at Skate Plaza at 6 p.m.,” the coach said. “We are an 18 and older, all-women roller derby team. We teach people to skate and play roller derby.”

Overhead, geese flew in a perfect V, marking time. A few people tested the water with their toes, teetering toward the big jump.

The crowd gathered their courage and began the countdown, throwing their towels to the ground and charging the shore. Battle cries rang out. Cheers of resolve resounded against Tubbs Hill. The water frothed as nearly 1,000 people jumped into the new year.

“It’s freezing compared to California,” one new resident shouted, above the frenzy.

And just as quickly as the plunge started, the water calmed. Everyone was all smiles, washed clean. Swimmers put their unicorn onesies back on. They zipped up their polar bear footed costumes and buttoned their red Christmas suits. They put on their chacos. And their cowboy boots. They tromped off into the new decade, hungry, cold, but full of cheer.

Just one man was left standing. In the water that is.

Jonathan Windham has been doing the Polar Plunge since he was 13 years old. He is now 31. He got in the water at noon. He wouldn’t get out until 1:03pm, a minute longer than he stayed last year.

“I’m starting to get cold,” Windham said, with 40 minutes to go. “It’s a mental challenge and a new year ritual. It changes my mindset in a positive way.”

Windham will stop the challenge when he’s reached the weight loss goal he’s set for himself.

“The weight helps me stay warm in the water,” Windham said. “I want to improve my habits though.”

A few people gathered at the shore to cheer him on — a lone figure in the gray winter lake, resolved to bring about change in the year ahead.

Somewhere in town, 13-year-old James Normington was probably sitting in a warm car with his family. Maybe, just maybe, he had forged a tradition that would bring him back to the lake year after year, resolved to jump enthusiastically toward his goals.