Sunday, June 21, 2015

Mid Winter swimming

Today is the Winter Equinox shortest day here in Picton New Zealand. There is always a mid winter swim to celebrate not that I have ever been silly enough to be one of the swimmers! I love swimming but like the water to be tropically warm.
Generally only about 12 - 25 people ever leap into the water briefly, but today it was really a nice warm sunny day with lovely blue sky, it encouraged many hundred people out to watch. It seems that many of them decided to give the swim a go. Lots were all dressed up for the event, some in their bathing costume many just in street clothes, many were children but lots were adults, all ran splashing and squealing into the tide.

 The rules said everyone must get their heads under water to qualify as a swimmer but lots stayed in and really swam. Such brave hardy souls. I spoke to some later who said after a few seconds their skin was numb so they didnt feel the cold at all then. Still didnt encourage me to give it a go.
I have since read in the paper more than 250 people braved the cold water for a dip!



Erle and I were there to drive the little train on the Foreshore for the children and as there were many of them we were kept very busy.

3 comments:

PerthDailyPhoto said...

I'm with you there Glennis, unless the temperature is in the high 30C's the water has to be a week bit heated :)

merike said...

We have our Summer Equinox and the water is too cold for me to swim, even from the sauna. My son swam three times in the country, though. Water temperature was OK in his opinion, perhaps 16°C... Many people go to swim here in our buildings all year around...

neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...

Shiverrrr. I'm afraid of the cold.

But every day at home, I shower in chilly water because it's supposed to be good for us.

Warmth is my friend. I remember one day in Jamaica, the water was deliciously warm. Not hot. I don't know how to swim. I lay in the water, holding on to a rubber-plastic-bed thing and floated forever. Bliss.