Montecito Polar Bear Swimmers Return

The first day of 2018 found Montecito with a bright-blue and sun-filled morning sky, balmy with a breeze at 72 degrees, thanks to our brave firefighters who abated the Thomas Fire to 92 percent containment. It also heralded the reunion of the Miramar Beach Club’s Annual Polar Bear Swimmers, who met at Butterfly Beach down from the still closed Biltmore Hotel in Montecito. The new location for the annual swim is due to the construction at the Miramar and security lock off of the usual meeting spot at Miramar beach.

No spirits were dampened, however, and the tight-knit group met at 11 am with no frills. Maxine Filippin said, “Gosh, we certainly are missing our pal Richard Payne, former manager of the Miramar Beach Club, who brought us all together for the New Year’s Day swim and mimosas!” 

Richard was there in spirit from his new home in Seattle and replied to me via email, “The annual New Years Day plunge was a decades-long tradition among the members of the Miramar Beach & Tennis Club, which I managed from 1987 to 2000. When the club and resort closed in 2000, the members continued the tradition as a way to keep in touch with friends and maintain some continuity for the club. The event was supported by all three subsequent property owners who considered it good public relations. They maintained that original club members would be given a preferential offering in a new Miramar Beach Club. The event dwindled out these last few years. There are less and less original Miramar Club members still in Montecito. We’ve seen good friends both move away and pass away. 

“I am in Seattle now, as general manager of the Sunset Club. For those remaining, jumping in the Pacific in January isn’t as effortless as it was twenty years ago. As the Miramar resort sets to reopen, it will be interesting to see if Mr. Caruso and Rosewood honor the pledge of a preferential offering to remaining original club members. I think Mr. Caruso will.”

For today’s swim, we had: Judy Alexander, Maxine Filippin, Marion Freitag, Peter Freitag, and Byron Ishkanian. The ocean water was extremely calm and peaceful, it looked amazing, and the water temperature was a warm 60 degrees. After posing for the annual group photo and catching up, the swim took place. Newcomers are always welcome, and let’s hear from Mr. Caruso soon!