[caption id="attachment_9399" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Plunge-2.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-9399" title="Plunge, 2" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Plunge-2-300x209.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="209" /></a> Participants in the fifth annual Pelican Plunge show varying degrees of discomfort as they splash their way into the surf at Hunting Island State Park on Tuesday, January 1.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_9400" align="alignright" width="150"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Plunge-4.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-9400" title="Plunge, 4" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Plunge-4-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a> MaryAnn Mikell, left, watches as friend Walt “the Plunger” Sammons finishes with his costume prior to the annual Pelican Plunge.[/caption]

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[caption id="attachment_9401" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Plunge-1.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-9401" title="Plunge, 1" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Plunge-1-300x201.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="201" /></a> Some of the 1,500 people ready for the annual Pelican Plunge on New Years’s Day at Hunting Island State Park.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_9402" align="alignright" width="150"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Plunge-5.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-9402" title="Plunge, 5" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Plunge-5-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a> Jeff Atkins, left, holds the bull horn while event official Bruce Doneff leads the faithful in a kazoo rendition of “America The Beautiful” to officially kick off the annual Pelican Plunge, sponsored by Friends of Hunting Island. About 1,500 “spectators and the insane” converged onto Hunting Island for the New Year’s Day event, according to Doneff. He said the Friends of Hunting Island hope to raise about $5,000 this year for the Discover Carolina program. Photos by Bob Sofaly.[/caption]

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[caption id="attachment_9403" align="alignleft" width="225"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Pelican-Plunge-Wendy1.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-9403" title="Pelican Plunge Wendy1" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Pelican-Plunge-Wendy1-e1357175147327-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a> Wendy Pollitzer and her girls and friends pose with the pelican at Hunting Island State Park.[/caption]