Overview
- Thousands took part in Christmas and Boxing Day dips from Bournemouth and Porthcawl to Brighton and Dublin, with Boscombe’s Macmillan event reporting about 1,000 swimmers and Porthcawl drawing more than 1,000 participants.
- Officials maintained safety messaging as the Met Office issued a Christmas Day yellow wind warning for south west England and Wales and the UKHSA’s yellow cold-health alert runs until noon on December 27.
- Some traditions were called off due to strong easterly winds and large swells, including Coverack in Cornwall for the first time in 57 years, with organisers moving it to New Year’s Day.
- Other events adapted to conditions, such as Hunstanton shifting to a more sheltered start and Ilfracombe using its harbour with kayak support and RNLI assistance.
- Where official swims were cancelled, informal dippers still entered the water in places like Felixstowe, as authorities and councils reminded swimmers of cold water shock risks and urged caution in rough seas.