Yes, the water was frigid. That was expected. But Mother Nature provided a blanket of sorts Saturday with unseasonably warm air for hundreds of participants in the Special Olympics Lobster Dip in Old Orchard Beach.

The event, held at The Brunswick hotel, has been pulling swimmers into the chilly Atlantic since 1988. Participants are asked to raise a minimum of $100 for Special Olympics Maine, and in exchange they test their mettle in the surf.

“It’s Maine’s original plunge,” said Lisa Bird, director of public relations for the Maine chapter. “It sets the tone for the entire fundraising year. It’s a really important event for us.”

Some participants on Saturday wore costumes, some dressed as teams, and some wore logos from local businesses. There’s no requirement to stay in the water longer than it takes to get wet, and most of the dippers didn’t linger. But it was worth it to support Special Olympics.

“How many people can say they went swimming in Maine on New Year’s Day?” Bird said.