About 125 people dipped their toes – and more – into the chilly waters of Lake Washington New Year’s Day for the annual Polar Bear Dip.

About 300 people opted just to watch from dry vantage points at Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park.

This year’s dip drew about 50 percent more participants than last year’s.

“It’s a great event,” said Kris Stimpson, the recreation manager for the City of Renton Park Department.

The event was put on by the City of Renton and Ivar’s, which supplied clam chowder for the event.

Stimpson thinks Renton’s attendance benefited from the cancelation of Kirkland’s Polar Bear Dip because of that city’s budget cuts.

She talked with some folks who normally would have taken the plunge in Kirkland.

Plus, she said, “we do have a sandy beach.” Kirkland’s beach is rocky, she said.

Because the event has grown, the City of Renton had two lifeguards at the beach in case of an emergency; in the past there has been one. Also standing by were members of the dive team from the Renton Fire and Emergency Services Department.