2:07 PM: Delayed two weeks by snow, the Special Olympics of Washington “Big Plunge” on Alki was greeted by a bit of ice. Just as the first wave of plungers was set to venture into the chilly waters of Puget Sound, the light rain turned to hail/graupel/sleet/ice pellets.

The hardy plungers were undaunted. This is a signature event for Special Olympics support from law enforcement, and they have to weather challenging conditions day in and day out anyway.

We even spotted Seattle’s top cop, Chief Carmen Best, apparently on shore-support detail:

Providing support offshore, vessels including this one from the King County Sheriff’s Office:

Though the plunging’s over, the event is also a midwinter festival of sorts, with a dozen or so food trucks parked near the Alki Bathhouse.

They’re scheduled to be here until about 3 pm, same end time for a benefit beer garden. Supporting Special Olympics of Washington, by the way, supports a wide variety of programs – including the Unified Sports with which local schools are involved.

3:11 PM: Wrapping up – we’ll watch for word on the fundraising total. Participants came from far and wide, including this group from Edmonds:

This was the first Special Olympics-benefiting plunge at Alki since 2011 – the organization has continued hosting plunges, but at other beaches.

ADDED LATE SATURDAY NIGHT: Thanks for sharing photos! This one’s from Mike Livdahl:

And three from Andrew Malinak, taken from a boat: