Your Xmas dip in freezing water

Cold water can kill you whether it's a gravel pit or the sea. The weather here in Bristol has been extremely cold, just nudging freezing in the morning and rising only to about 5 degrees by lunchtime. I would caution anyone to rethink swimming under these conditions. My thoughts are with those who lost family in Devon.

LauraNorderr

Love a cold dip on Boxing Day. My favourite is chives and garlic, yummy on a breadstick.

😂😂

Allira Those who die in gravel pits are usually heedless youths jumping into the water in high summer

Not always.

Allira

^Allira Those who die in gravel pits are usually heedless youths jumping into the water in high summer^

Not always.

I think the big difference is the risk to others. Probably little risk in a gravel pit but swimming in the sea in atrocious weather and then people trying to rescue you is endangering them.

Well, we have to beg to differ.

Allira

Well, we have to beg to differ.

Beg to differ with what?

So many could haves and should haves.

Just for the record, the man who got into difficulty was actually on the way out of the sea but turned back to help a woman in difficulty. She got out OK, he didn't.
In that split second he was not an idiot, not irresponsible, and not selfish.

The conditions were terrible, I live in south Devon and for the life of me I can't imagine why anyone thought it was a good idea to go in for a swim.

MartavTaurus

So many could haves and should haves.

Just for the record, the man who got into difficulty was actually on the way out of the sea but turned back to help a woman in difficulty. She got out OK, he didn't.
In that split second he was not an idiot, not irresponsible, and not selfish.

He sacrificed his life to save someone else.

theworriedwell

The conditions were terrible, I live in south Devon and for the life of me I can't imagine why anyone thought it was a good idea to go in for a swim.

Thousands do, all around the country.
Some do it for charity.

theworriedwell

The conditions were terrible, I live in south Devon and for the life of me I can't imagine why anyone thought it was a good idea to go in for a swim.

I'm on the doorstep here. I saw the waves that day. Yes, I agree that the conditions were very bad and that anyone going for a dip was misguided.

But the event could not have been cancelled because it wasn't organised in the first place. No one put the event on, it's just tradition.

And a few miles along in Exmouth, their swim took place less than an hour later with little drama because it is a totally different sandy beach.

My best friend who was there at the Budleigh incident, and who often swims, went back today to lay the ghost. I think it will take her a while to recover, (she knew the man), along with the town itself.

I don't think it should need to be officially cancelled, common sense should have meant people looked at the sea and decided it was a bad idea.

My grandsons are lifeguards and the stories they tell me. Some people have crazy ideas, not to mention the parents who get angry with them for saving a child. Young child struggling and parents moaning people shouldn't interfere because they'd have been ok.

It's hard to believe some of it.

flappergirl

Cold water can kill you whether it's a gravel pit or the sea. The weather here in Bristol has been extremely cold, just nudging freezing in the morning and rising only to about 5 degrees by lunchtime. I would caution anyone to rethink swimming under these conditions. My thoughts are with those who lost family in Devon.

Anything can kill you. Wild swimming in winter, even in the temperatures you mention are perfectly safe if you are swimming within an organsed group and have been briefed and are appropriately dresse, this does not necessarily mean a wet suit.

In the South Devon case, warnings had been issued, the various organised groups of wild swimmers had cancelled all their swimming plans and advised their members to stay away.

DD& DS, part of an organised group of wild swimmers, who use a local pit have had two safe wild swims since Christmas and plan another on New Years Eve. She expects that they may soon have to break the ice before they swim.

In the South Devon case
Technically, we are not in South Devon in Budleigh, but East Devon.
The estuary of the River Exe serves as a natural divider before the coast turns towards Lyme Bay.

The sea can be a dangerous place and needs to be respected. The emergency sea services are similar to the mountain rescue. People go up mountains without the right equipment, maps etc and don't heed the weather conditions- yet the volunteers sometimes risk their own lives going to save people.
The swimmers who drowned were experienced adults who should have known the risks. It is those who went to their rescue that I save my admiration and respect for...

I think one of the people who died was trying to rescue people, however he was not part of a formal rescue group snf was there because he had ignored the warning and decided to go swimming.

MartavTaurus sorry for referrying to East Devon as south Devon. I only divide Devon up by seacoasts.