Ocean County man to take a polar bear plunge everyday for a year

OCEAN HEIGHTS, N.J. -- An Ocean County man is planning to take a polar bear plunge every day for a year all with the goal of raising money for charity.

Doug Maday will be starting 2015 doing the same thing he does every day - taking a dip in the Atlantic Ocean.

His goal is to swim in the ocean each day for a year, a daily polar bear plunge that started back on September 1st.

"I grew up on the Jersey shore and it's kind of depressing when everyone leaves at Labor Day, everybody clears out. And I just figured you know what - just keep going to the beach every day and try to turn it into sort of an endless summer," said Maday.

The water is 45 degrees, the air temperature is 27 degrees but with the wind-chill, it feels like 16 degrees.

It's freezing on this desolate beach, but that doesn't stop Maday, a 50-year-old car dealer from Ocean Heights.

"When I'm under the water, it's not too bad. But then when I come out of the water, come up, there's just a little shock but it's not really that bad. I think I've just grown accustomed to it," said Maday.

Maday has kept up his quest to swim every day through sickness, driving wind and rain and the wild waves of three Nor'easters.

How he does it is a mystery to those less hearty.

Why he does it is a different story. Maday is planning to use his daily swims to raise money for ALS research - it's the ultimate ice bucket challenge.

"I did the ice bucket challenge and that was enough, going in the ocean is a little bit above me," said Brian Santos.

"If you are willing, go for it - live life," said Ellen Santos.

Maday won't use a wet suit because he thinks that's cheating, and even though the water will only get colder as winter goes on, he doesn't want to quit.

"Every day that I get in, I feel like I accomplished something. I've gotten a little closer to the main goal of 365. I don't know if I can do that but I'm hoping. I'm going to give it my best shot," said he said.