A group of five middle school girls is turning the New Year’s dip at Cape Elizabeth’s Kettle Cove into their holiday tradition.

For the third year running, Kate Gibson, Morgan Barnes, Maggie Darling, Elsa Mullin and Gabrielle Loring will take the plunge – some enthusiastically, some more timidly – into the wintry waters of Kettle Cove.

Two years ago, Kate Gibson rallied her four friends for a New Year’s slumber party, where the girls lounged around watching movies and then rang in the New Year with party hats, confetti and noise makers. Though New Year’s Eve often holds the promise of excitement and adventure, for these five girls it is the morning after, and an icy plunge, that satiates their adventurous urges.

The annual New Year’s Dip, sponsored by the Cape Elizabeth Water Extrication Team, raised over $1,000 for Project Graduation last year. Participants donate $10 to swim. Last year, there were more than 100 swimmers and 300 observers. Water Extrication Team Member Julie Barnes said people must wear their swimsuits. No wetsuits allowed. “That’s cheating,” she said.

In support of Project Graduation, the girls, under Gibson’s direction, decided to go for last year’s morning swim. Donning borrowed suits from Gibson, the girls were unprepared for swimming. “They (the suits) were all mismatched,” said Gibson.

Gibson, the force behind the adventure, said the first year she went into the water more than once. Her friends, a little more timid, didn’t muster the courage until after the initial rush to the water.

“I went in three times,” said Gibson, “They all stayed on the beach, I had to go in with them again.”

Gibson didn’t mind though. It was the thrill of the absurd act that attracted her in the first place. “I like doing crazy stuff like that,” she said, “It was such an adrenaline rush.”

The promise of that adrenaline rush attracts young and old alike. Barnes said students from Pond Cove Elementary and Cape Middle School yearly ring in the new year with icicles forming in their ocean-soaked hair.

Prizes are awarded for best-dressed, most team spirit, youngest, and oldest swimmers. Last year, the oldest dipper was 79, said Barnes. Gibson admires that stamina and is confident that she can emulate it. “That’s gonna be me one day,” she said.

This year’s dip is at 11 a.m. on New Year’s Day at Kettle Cove. Bring $10 to swim. All donations go to Project Graduation. Chuck’s Wicked Good Chowdah will be served free to all swimmers.

From left: Morgan Barnes, Maggie Darling, Elsa Mullin, Kate Gibson, and Gabrielle Loring wait shivering to jump into the wintry waters at Kettle Cove for the annual New Year’s day dip in Cape Elizabeth.Nearly 100 swimmers stormed the beach of Kettle cove only to storm right back out after plunging into its numbing waters last New Year’s day.