Dippers head back to the beach at the fifth annual Women’s Wave, an International Women’s Day celebration and ocean dip, at Willard Beach in South Portland on Sunday. Brianna Soukup/Portland Press Herald

SOUTH PORTLAND — Shrieking, cheering and sparkling from biodegradable glitter, a wave of 1,529 people, including women and their supporters, stepped into the chilly water at Willard Beach on a 25-degree Sunday morning in March.

A shock to the system, the winter swim celebrated the endurance and strength of women on the International Women’s Day weekend.

Now in its fifth year, the women’s wave ocean dip was concocted by Kelsy Hartley and Caitlin Hopkins, the “Two Maine Mermaids.” Hartley and Hopkins — who go by “Ebb” and “Flow,” respectively — organize regular cold water meetups. This one is especially powerful, they said.

“(Participants are) going to feel the momentum of a wave, it’s going to build and build and build, and then we’re all going to walk hand and hand into the ocean,” Hartley said before Sunday’s dip. “That’s the moment where the wave crashes. It’s a big swell of women.”

Dippers celebrate as they plunge into the water at the fifth annual Women’s Wave, an International Women’s Day celebration and ocean dip, at Willard Beach in South Portland on Sunday. Brianna Soukup/Portland Press Herald

The two said they have “immense gratitude” for the community of people who have rallied behind Two Maine Mermaids.

In 2020, 75 people came to the ocean dip, Hartley said. This year, there were enough participants to line the entire shoreline at Willard Beach.

“We’re centering joy and community,” Hartley said.

Taking a dip in the ocean during a Maine winter might seem crazy, but it does have its benefits. Cold water immersion has been shown to have a positive effect on mood and cognitive function, according to the Mayo Clinic. Icy water also reduces inflammation and soreness and helps people build resiliency.

Plus, longtime dippers say it’s an exhilarating release.

“We’ve been practicing all year for this,” said Laura Hebeler, of Windham. 

Dippers line Willard Beach at the fifth annual Women’s Wave, an International Women’s Day celebration and ocean dip, at Willard Beach in South Portland on Sunday. Brianna Soukup/Portland Press Herald

Hebeler attended the dip with her friend Ann Thompson, of Standish. The two regularly immerse themselves in the cold Presumpscot River, but this was their first time taking a cold ocean dip.

Laura Chritton, of South Portland, said she does cold water immersion at least two or three times a week. She described the feeling she gets from being in the cold ocean as “a healthy addiction.”

“It’s like this bloom in my chest that stays with me for most of the day, and I crave going in again,” said Chritton, who volunteered by giving out body glitter on Sunday.

“The colder the better for me,” she said.

Dippers at the fifth annual Women’s Wave, an International Women’s Day celebration and ocean dip, at Willard Beach in South Portland on Sunday. Brianna Soukup/Portland Press Herald

First-timers were inspired by the message of female empowerment.

Gabrielle Leon and her sister Aubrey Quinn, both of Freeport, were excited ahead of the plunge on Sunday.

“This has always been something that’s been on my bucket list … and it’s cool to have a purpose, a bigger meaning behind it,” Leon said.

Just before 10 a.m., people shed their layers and lined up along the water, holding hands and cheering. At the go-ahead, they ran in up to their chests, some taking their time in the water and others fleeing for warmth after a few seconds.

First-timer Courtney Crossgrove, of Durham, said the chilly water “wasn’t as bad as I thought.”

“(It was) exciting; kind of refreshing,” Crossgrove said. “I was nervous, but I knew I would be fine because of the adrenaline.”

Safety is paramount when putting your body in a cold situation like this one, the organizers said.

“We recommend booties and easy-to-get-on layers,” said Hopkins, of the Two Maine Mermaids. “When you come out of the water, all the wet stuff comes off, and warm stuff comes on. Just take a moment before you go in the water to think about what you’re going to do when you come out.”

For beginners looking for a more gradual introduction, Two Maine Mermaids offers a three-week “coach to cold water”  instruction series. The group also meets monthly at night for full moon dips.