By Mark Ufkes

There is no better way to wash away the complexities of 2018 and usher in the unlimited possibilities that 2019 holds for each of us than to run into Puget Sound, while holding hands with our family and friends and screaming like crazy.   

We go into the water at 10 am sharp!  Don’t be late.  

We gather at 9:45 am on January 1 in front of Dukes on Alki.  We spread out east and west along beautiful Alki Beach in a long line.  There will be 10-minute, 5-minute and 1-minute warnings, and at 10 seconds, together, we all begin counting down; 10-9-8-7 . . .

We then yell “Happy New Year”, hold hands with those next to us, and run into the water.   It is all over in less than a minute.   

Last year, well over 500 participated and a huge crowd cheered us on.  

Again this year, all are encouraged to wear something pink into the water.  You can wear pink for whatever reason you want; be it to honor your spectacular mom, to honor a dear friend who is fighting cancer, or to celebrate that finally, in 2019, girls will be able to become Eagle Scouts too (Yeah!). For me, I will be wearing pink for all these reasons and because for the first time in U.S. history, a state house legislative body, in Nevada no less, will have a women-majority legislature.      

Whatever your personal reason, if you wear something pink into the water you will earn a gift.  The first 200 people who wear something pink into the water will receive a free airport-confiscated wine bottle opener cork screw that I won at a TSA auction.   And hey kids, if you wear something pink, your parents must take charge of your free cork screw and offer you something in trade. After the swim, there will be a table at the beach full of every kind of cork screw you can imagine.  Every swimmer wearing something pink can chose one as a gift.  

What you should bring:  Good water shoes, a large towel, a change of dry clothes, and your hopes and dreams for 2019.

What you should leave behind: Your fears, your inhibitions, and your self-doubt.