Last year, organizers of the popular annual Polar Bear Plunge to benefit Special Olympics New Jersey decided to relocate the frozen-soaking event because of the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy.
On Saturday, they came home. And on the way out, they encountered traffic jams that clogged Route 35 to the north, extending past Ortley Beach.
The Polar Bear Plunge celebrated its 21st year in Seaside Heights Saturday, where it has been held for six years before it landed in Long Branch in 2013.
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Every year, thousands of people take the plunge into the freezing waters of the Atlantic Ocean to raise money for Special Olympics New Jersey, which provides year-round sports training and athletic competition for more than 22,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities. In 2012, the single-day event drew more than 5,900 participants and raised more than $1.4 million, according to NJ.com.
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