At 7.30 on a grey October morning, with the sea at 13 degrees and falling, around thirty people in woolly hats walk down the shingle at Shingle Cove and wade into the water. For the Shingle Cove Dippers, this is a daily routine they intend to keep up until spring, when the sea will have dropped to around 8 degrees.
The group was started five years ago by three friends who swam together in summer and decided not to stop. It now has more than 200 members, ranging from students to a retired harbour pilot of 84. Most swim for only a few minutes in the colder months, staying close to the shore. "Nobody is trying to break records," said founder Lowri Castellane. "We are here for the cold, the company and the coffee afterwards."
The first thirty seconds are dreadful. After that, the sea goes quiet and so does your head.
Safety comes first
The group has firm rules for newcomers. Never swim alone, enter slowly and keep your head above water at first, and get out before you start to shiver. Members check the tide times and forecast before each swim and do not go in when there is a strong onshore wind. Lifeguard-trained volunteers are present on weekend mornings.
Dr Aidan Ferreira, a sports medicine doctor at Wrenhaven General, said many people enjoyed cold-water swimming but that the sudden cold could be dangerous. "The shock of cold water raises the heart rate and blood pressure and can make you gasp," he said. "Anyone with a heart condition, high blood pressure or who is pregnant should speak to their doctor first, and everyone should build up gradually." He added that warming up afterwards should be gentle, with warm clothes and a hot drink rather than a hot shower straight away.
The Dippers welcome beginners on Sunday mornings, when experienced members accompany newcomers into the water. Membership is free, and the group has raised more than €8,000 for the Greyling Bay lifeboat station through sponsored swims.
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