Comedians Rick Mercer, left, and Ron James jump from a wharf as they participate in the annual polar dip in Herring Cove, N.S., on Saturday. (Andrew Vaughan/Canadian Press)

The 17th annual polar bear dip in Herring Cove, N.S., attracted about 200 jumpers who braved the cold waters and raised money for food banks in the province.

CBC personalities Rick Mercer and Ron James took part in the dip on the Atlantic coast, south of downtown Halifax.

"I don't know what's going through my mind," Mercer said before he jumped in. "This was Ron James's idea. It seemed like a good idea in August when he said, 'If I jump off a wharf, will you jump off a wharf?'"

The sea temperature at the time of the dip was 7 C, while the air temperature was 3 C.

People wearing bikinis, foam hats, and in one case an evening gown and tiara leapt off a wharf into the water.

Bernadette Richards of Waverley was wearing a red dress and black gloves as the self-proclaimed "dip diva" jumped into the "absolutely freezing" water.

The 44-year-old said she was happy to have done it.

Pledges from the dip went to Feed Nova Scotia, a non-government organization that supplies food banks.

Similar dips were planned across the country.

With files from The Canadian Press