A blue-painted, kilt-wearing Bill Themeles rushed into the frigid embrace of Lake Ontario with sword in hand to celebrate his 25th annual polar plunge on New Year’s Day.
Actually, that’s pretty much what the “Braveheart”-inspired polar dipper does every year on Jan. 1 — but this time, he wrote the year across his chest in marker to make sure he can differentiate anniversary photos from more than two decades of similarly icy dips.
Matthew Van Dongen is a reporter with the Hamilton Spectatorspecializing in transportation and the environment. Reach him at[email protected].
![Man arrested after attempting to strike Guelph Police officer [Video]](https://canadanewsvideo.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/mp_713465_0_guelphpolicegps168186881711136970286jpeg.jpg)
![Family of IPV victim share their trauma at sentencing hearing for Windsor man [Video]](https://canadanewsvideo.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/mp_713626_0_southdalestabbing166444151699976692019jpg.jpg)
![Ingersoll collision puts one in hospital [Video]](https://canadanewsvideo.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/mp_711813_0_oppcrest165297821692733143851jpeg.jpg)
![Premier Ford gets into a car crash on Highway 401 [Video]](https://canadanewsvideo.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/mp_710507_0_eab0cbee09a386332e3fb477dcf40c6c3b16902b950af43299b927adda2c431cjpg.jpg)
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
To join the conversation set a first and last name in your user profile.
Conversations are opinions of our readers and are subject to the Community Guidelines. Hamilton Spectator does not endorse …