About two dozen people kicked off 2013 with a plunge into the waters of Ocean Beach Tuesday afternoon.

For the second year in a row, Ocean Beach Polar Bear Club participants gathered on the beach near Judah Street, stripped off coats and hats and scarves, and ran with cheers toward the surf. After feeling the bite of the chilly water, most contented themselves with splashing around briefly before running back onto the beach toward the comfort of dry towels and those recently discarded coats and hats, plus some refreshments.

It wasn’t just grownups taking part. One man carrying a wetsuit-clad toddler on his shoulders was rewarded with shouts of, “Hooray, Daddy!” on the way back onto the beach after a short dip in the surf.

At about the same time, a separate group waded in near Taraval Street and then repaired to the Riptide bar.