Visitors arriving in summer often choose to wade or briefly dip into the Arctic Ocean off the beach at the foot of the village — the so-called Polar Bear Dip. The water temperature sits around freezing year-round and there is usually some pack ice within sight even in August.
Tour operators provide certificates for those brave enough, and the experience makes a good story. There are no lifeguards, no facilities, and you should never go into the water alone, with no one watching from the shore, or anywhere out of sight of town because of the polar bear risk. Most who try it stay in for a count of three.