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• Plunging!

Jump on in, the water's ... 50 degrees. Pshhht. That ain't no thing. Especially when there's a hot tub, heated dressing room, catered lunch and Bloody Mary waiting for you on the other side. What's this madness? The long-running (off a short pier) Humboldt County tradition, the Discovery Museum's 18th annual Perilous Plunge, of course, happening Saturday, March 9 at the foot of F Street Dock in Eureka at 11:15 a.m.

The annual event sees dozens of "plungers" who raise cash to splash ($150 to qualify), then dress in wacky thematic costumes and jump into the chilly Humboldt Bay for a very good cause: Supporting the area's only interactive museum for kids during its largest fundraiser of the year. Proceeds from the Plunge allow the Discovery Museum to continue providing services to more than 14,000 of the region's youth annually. The money raised helps provide field trips to the museum for local school children, Campership Awards for Pal Camp children of low-income families, free programs to the community and educational drop-off programs at the museum.

Before things get wet on Saturday, the Plungers will meet at the parklet by the Clarke Museum and then at 11 a.m. parade through Old Town to the foot of F Street joined by the Marching Lumberjacks. See who wins the award for Best Jump, Best Costume (individual and team) and the King and Queen who raised the most money. And start planning your outfit for next year.