Hundreds of people took part in the traditional Brighton Christmas Day swim this morning, braving the weather, the shingle beach and a brisk sea. Participants, many wearing Santa hats or other festive gear, gathered on the beach from mid-morning as anticipation built. At 11 am the excitement peaked, with shouts of pain and delight as swimmers charged into the sea - around 11°C - before dashing back out almost as quickly!
Brighton and Hove City Council had issued strong safety warnings ahead of the swim, stressing that people should exercise extreme caution if they chose to enter the water. Officers advised checking weather and sea conditions and highlighted the risks of cold water, strong currents and the steep shingle slope on Brighton’s beaches (which can make entry and exit awkward). The council’s guidance stressed that only very experienced swimmers with suitable equipment should consider entering the sea, and it warned there would be no lifeguard cover at this time of year. Nevertheless, there was some lifeguard presence.
The Brighton Christmas Day swim is an informal tradition with deep local roots. It forms part of a wider pattern of festive sea dips around the UK. Community swims in Brighton have been noted since at least the late 19th century and have usually taken place on Christmas morning at around 11 a.m., even without formal organisation. There are many other such festive swims across the country, but this year several in the West Country have been cancelled due to weather conditions - see the BBC.
No comments:
Post a Comment